David's McVeigh sonnet, along with two other splendid sonnets, are about to appear online in the new issue of Artemis. I was permitted to browse the issue earlier today, since I'm in it, and I was struck by the genuine excellence of all three of David's sonnets. Carol Taylor also has some fine poems in the issue.
Anyway, you'll all want to check out the new Artemis once you learn it has poems in it like this one by David:
Out of the Night
– on the Execution of Timothy McVeigh
We saw your death – they showed it on TV –
and had revenge, if vengeance was our goal.
You thanked the Gods, whatever Gods may be,
and spoke of your unconquerable soul.
We shared a God – no, not the one whose whole
existence was compassionate, who tried
by promising redemption to console
his wayward children, and was crucified.
We chose your sterner Deity as guide,
with ancient tribal precepts, and a sword.
Though hope and charity did not abide,
faith lived when our uncompromising Lord –
not often merciful, but always just –
demanded eye for eye, and dust for dust.
(McVeigh chose Henley's "Invictus" as his epitaph and copied it out in his own hand.)
|