It's a difficult one to talk about, John. So I imagine it might have been a difficult one to write. But perhaps not? Perhaps it burst forth powered by an inner necessity. The anguish of a man with a profound sense of beauty in a barbarous world. It reminds me of some of HG Wells' stories. But it's not an allegory. There's a deep interiority here. The whole thing is a mood, a feeling. Songs and singing are usually human activities that bring joy and release. It's shocking to consider a reality where NOT singing is "the greatest pleasure".
There is a wild power to the poem, to the speaker of the poem. It's disturbing, effective, memorable.
Cally
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