Fifth Avatar, One and Two

Oldham Manning,
Sanguine

“Enough of what you want; it’s time for me
To roar and run upon the moon’s bright face
And fly away to constellations, free
Of mind and blood, yet full of gathering pace.”
“No, wait a little while, a moment more –
And in these dancing words, roar, run and fly
To all the stars that gather here, and soar
Past time’s bright start and in that moment die.”
“Why fly so high? See here, this bench and book
Or that bucolic walk through gathering green
Or that of snow – through chasing seasons, look
At colours wandered by but never seen.”
“My soul is young, though I am old; the way
Is both the morning of and end of day.”

There Still Is Time

There still is time; there still may be more time
To find our age and wisdom here within
This place, outside these walls – we still might climb
To freedom there, and though it’s late begin
Our run towards an ever opening day,
The morning wind and sun behind our track,
With western vistas welcoming our way –
To what? – We don’t know what. So we turn back.
There still is time – we know next morning will
Present itself with something more to be:
Some grace perhaps, a prize perhaps; the chill
Of night now warms to possibility.
For this we know: there still is time; we know
Some time remains – there still is time to go.