The Climax

Freeing up the goblins grim,

The glow of flame on water gleaming.

Letting loose the spirits dim

In great expansive mindnight dreaming.

—Scab-black rain, a moan of thunder,

Stabs of light and witches under—

Moonfire flares from out its rim;

This night the soul is cast asunder.

Glinting wolfeyes weave and swim;

The heart of man is vermin plunder.

With wailing of a demon king,

With sorrow of a vanquished beast,

The jackals howl and bray and sing,

And lament in their bloody feast.

—“The master comes, the time is short!

Out lives are here but to abort!"—

This alarm the monarchs ring,

With ghoulish grunt and spittle-snort;

Yes this the royal devils bring

Out from their mouths of boil and wart.

The arc of time to zenith rising,

Demons, saints, all people woven,

On the stage with naught disguising,

Teeth all sharp and feet all cloven.

—The Lie! The Lie! The prong-barbed tongue!

All are equal, all sin-stung!—

Time has told a truth surprising;

All that's shameful has been done.

Guilt are all now realizing,

Hands bloodstained and heads low hung.

But now with sun, the song of day,

There comes to change the tragic story

The name in which the angels pray;

A wondrous, unaccounted glory.

—“He lives! He lives!" cry all, astounded:

This one true saint with song surrounded—

The final note now he shall play;

The final trumpet now is sounded.

Light has chased the chill away,

And life for all now breathes unbounded;

Light has left no shade of gray

For every good is on God founded.

The life! The breath! The flourishing!

Come burst far past the end!

Come find that of which pharaohs dreamt,

And bonds of body rend.

The love! The glow! That sacred wish!

Find hope in everyplace!

Imperfect time-lines outline

From far a flawless face!

A live Eternal face!

The crimson of the dawn, arise!

The blue jays, sing! Musicians, play!

Now look into your loved one's eyes

And all your heartfelt poems, say!

—The trial is past! The life is ours!

Here is peace and wonder, flowers!—

We find perfection every way;

We know not weeks or months or hours.

At last the dreamy dawn of day;

At last we all have paid our dowers.

Come live where seraph wingbreath flies,

A haven hewn of holy powers,

And win that only worthy prize:

That welcome place of crystal towers.

We bathe ourselves with golden ray;

We wash ourselves in holy showers.

For God has given us our pay;

Unearned it was, and yet still ours.

Unearned like rain, this heaven's ours at last!

[1995]