Chorus Of Ghosts And Shrouds Poem by Emmanuel George Cefai

with eyes that from red redder
turn and dark grey faces that
to charcoal black turn and flicker
in the candles that they bear,
they, the Ghosts and Shrouds.

Heap scents where the Ghosts and
Shrouds pass and walk:
bring the showers, bring
the rain
in the joys of pattering dissolves
pain

Tread, tread Ghosts and Shrouds while
the phosphorus rare and proud
they tread lightning glow-worms that
come and go
come and go
and awhile the procession goes.

Candles, smoke, incense and chant
faces straight and disciplined,
No Ghost speak to Ghost or Shroud
No Shroud speak to Ghost or Shroud
only all, with one intent, see
they move,
they move forward in procession,
see they move
the vessel moves, the crowd.

Heap scents where the Ghosts and
Shrouds pass and walk:
bring the showers, bring
the rain
in the joys of pattering dissolves
pain:

See the bulls of the red night,
See their horns glisten, radiate
in the twinkling light moonlight
and from the wildness of the stars
and from the clanking of waters
bright
dancing nymphs arising, arising
with white water wraiths
out of waters, out of seas.
in the trammels of the night.

And the harps by hands of sprites
energy not mass nor white
colorless-invisible
in that magic, in that night
where in every corner spell
hoots in caves where it dwell

And the night amidst the nights
and the spell amidst the spells
candles shooting, moon alighting,
and the nymphs of night all dancing
Neptune with his fork all green prancing
on a secret hidden lawn:
before springing light of dawn.

Chorus of Ghosts and Shrouds
with eyes that from red redder
turn and dark grey faces that
to charcoal black turn and flicker
in the candles that they bear,
they, the Ghosts and Shrouds.