For Al .


Posted by
Kathleen Eykamp on Feb 23, 2004 at 14:59
(203.164.25.186)

Re: Consider it . . . (Uncle Al)

I found this as the introduction in a London Secondary School English textbook

-------------------------------------------------

PRAYER BEFORE BIRTH

I AM NOT YET BORN; O HEAR ME.
LET NOT THE
BLOODSUCKING BAT
OR THE RAT
OR THE STOAT
OR THE CLUBFOOTED GHOUL
COME NEAR ME.
I AM NOT YET BORN; CONSOLE ME
I FEAR THAT THE HUMAN RACE MAY

WITH TALL WALLS WALL ME.

WITH STRONG DRUGS DOPE ME,

WITH WISE LIES LURE ME,

ON BLACK RACKS RACK ME,

IN BLOOD-BATHS ROLL ME.

I AM NOT YET BORN; PROVIDE ME

WITH WATER TO DANDLE ME,

GRASS TO GROW FOR ME,

TREES TO TALK TO ME,

SKY TO SING TO ME,

BIRDS AND A WHITE LIGHT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND TO GUIDE ME.

I AM NOT YET BORN; O FILL ME

WITH STRENGTH AGAINST THOSE WHO WOULD

FREEZE MY HUMANITY,

WOULD DRAGOON ME INTO A LETHAL AUTOMATON,

WOULD MAKE ME A COG IN A MACHINE,

A THING WITH ONE FACE,

A THING,

AND AGAINST ALL THOSE WHO WOULD DISSIPATE MY ENTIRETY,

WOULD BLOW ME LIKE THISTLEDOWN HITHER AND THITHER,

OR HITHER AND THITHER LIKE WATER HELD IN THE HANDS WOULD SPILL ME.

LET THEM NOT MAKE ME A STONE AND LET THEM NOT SPILL ME. OTHERWISE KILL ME.

LOUIS MACNEICE



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