Divine Comedy Mother Goose After Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Divina Commedia Fleur De Luce Poem by Jonathan ROBIN

Oft have I seen within some bookstore door
a comic book, with illustrations neat,
unburdened by the hands of tiny feet
chaperoned by smothering mothers sure
to seal a bargain in free-time for chore
while toddler turns the page of storied treat,
from loud vociferations saved before tears fleet
become an undistinguishable roar.
Fables' chapters read aloud each day
provide the basic groundwork, opens gate
well earned to letters learned the easy way,
The tumult of bed-time disconsolate,
complaints, and plaintive murmurs fade away,
while pages turn on Cinderella's fate.

Strange sculptures do adorn Prince Charming's towers,
round Sleeping Beauty's statue crowd, fly leaves
bird's eye view provide of of dark Queen's sleeves
from which immortal bloom witch hands for hours,
gesticulate vast curses, scheme crossed princess cowers.
See fiends and dragons on the gargoyled eaves
throw Snow White frightening curses. Child believes
in Ali Baba's forty thieves and powers
fantastical suspending heart and brain,
till exultation tramples on despair,
till tenderness soothes tears, till hate of wrong,
with passionate cries of infant soul in pain,
reads through these tales of Hubbard's cupboard bare
in medieval miracle of song.

These entertaining gossips glitter, gloom
dissolves before Pierrot and Columbine,
for nurs'ry rhymes step up pace children sign
their names, prepare for fame till they make room
in turn for others through life's mortal doom
when mourners pass, when votive tapers shine.
Psych books don't daunt imaginations fine,
synaptic echoes linked to Perrault's plume
from fairy tales of sixpence, apple pies,
rehearsing songs of blackbirds as crow flies
from cryptic lamentations, cheeks aglow.
For parents' choice celestial voice begins
with 'Once upon a time' sows peace time wins,
no scarlet sins knows, Mother Goose morals show.

See seven dwarfs fight flame of evil fame,
Queen's poisoned apple sent so long ago,
filling young hearts with passion, dread, and woe,
rescued from wrong when song's conclusions came
splendiferous while stern rebukes bad tame,
and ice about cold heart melts as the snow
on mountain heights when spring rains overflow
through climate change gush like lips' sobs of shame,
with full confession made. Child's eyes may gleam,
like dawn's beam slant chant on dark forest cast,
seems to uplifted hope's scope, also increase
imagination, sparks remembered dream,
sorrow forgotten, enlightenment at last
rings perfect pardon that brings perfect peace.

Eyes T.V. free read on, souls' windows blaze
with forms of black sheep wool bags well supplied,
her set to song, hereafter glorified,
see bramble Rose upon its leaves displays
elf arrow thorns for Beauty's roundelay,
with splendor upon splendor multiplied
in bedside book that's seldom set aside.
No more rebukes, but smiles greet words of praise
from pre-school up, contentment's chorus choirs
re-sing old tales no child e'er fails to love,
and many on the Internet would post
cockle-shells, melodious bells, light fires
to warm from house-tops up to heaven above
Contrary Mary, Curly Locks' love boast.

Historic star whose kindergarden key
unlocks appreciation of these easy rhymes
both ageless and with age together climbs,
becomes forerunner of adults to be.
The choice of Hark the Lark, Georgie Porgie,
free voice for Jack Straw, Jack and Jill's Hill, signs,
repeats, light songs until familiar lines
are footpaths for deep thoughts of root and tree.
Fond fame is blown abroad from all the heights,
throughout all nations Mother Goose is heard
as child's and adult's album, leaves none out,
strangers, at home, becoming proselytes,
In their own language hear tales' wondrous word,
and many stay amazed, no penny doubt.

Oft have I seen at some cathedral door
A laborer, pausing in the dust and heat,
Lay down his burden, and with reverent feet
Enter, and cross himself, and on the floor
Kneel to repeat his paternoster o'er;
Far off the noises of the world retreat;
The loud vociferations of the street
Become an undistinguishable roar.
So, as I enter here from day to day,
And leave my burden at this minster gate,
Kneeling in prayer, and not ashamed to pray,
The tumult of the time disconsolate
To inarticulate murmurs dies away,
While the eternal ages watch and wait.

How strange the sculptures that adorn these towers!
This crowd of statues, in whose folded sleeves
Birds build their nests; while canopied with leaves
Parvis and portal bloom like trellised bowers,
And the vast minster seems a cross of flowers!
But fiends and dragons on the gargoyled eaves
Watch the dead Christ between the living thieves,
And, underneath, the traitor Judas lowers!
Ah! from what agonies of heart and brain,
What exultations trampling on despair,
What tenderness, what tears, what hate of wrong,
What passionate outcry of a soul in pain,
Up rose this poem of the earth and air,
This medieval miracle of song!

I enter, and I see thee in the gloom
Of the long aisles, O poet saturnine!
And strive to make my steps keep pace with thine.
The air is filled with some unknown perfume;
The congregation of the dead make room
For thee to pass; the votive tapers shine;
Like rooks that haunt Ravenna's groves of pine
The hovering echoes fly from tomb to tomb.
From the confessionals I hear arise
Rehearsals of forgotten tragedies,
And lamentations from the crypts below;
And then a voice celestial that begins
With the pathetic words, 'Although your sins
As scarlet be' and ends with 'as the snow.'

With snow-white veil and garments as of flame,
She stands before thee, who so long ago
Filled thy young heart with passion and the woe
From which thy song and all its splendors came;
And while with stern rebuke she speaks thy name,
The ice about thy heart melts as the snow
On mountain heights, and in swift overflow
Comes gushing from thy lips in sobs of shame.
Thou makest full confession; and a gleam,
As of the dawn on some dark forest cast,
Seems on thy lifted forehead to increase;
Lethe and Eunoë—the remembered dream
And the forgotten sorrow—bring at last
That perfect pardon which is perfect peace.

I lift mine eyes, and all the windows blaze
With forms of Saints and holy men who died,
Here martyred and hereafter glorified;
And the great Rose upon its leaves displays
Christ's Triumph, and the angelic roundelays,
With splendor upon splendor multiplied;
And Beatrice again at Dante's side
No more rebukes, but smiles her words of praise.
And then the organ sounds, and unseen choirs
Sing the old Latin hymns of peace and love
And benedictions of the Holy Ghost;
And the melodious bells among the spires
O'er all the house-tops and through heaven above
Proclaim the elevation of the Host!

O star of morning and of liberty!
O bringer of the light, whose splendor shines
Above the darkness of the Apennines,
Forerunner of the day that is to be!
The voices of the city and the sea,
The voices of the mountains and the pines,
Repeat thy song, till the familiar lines
Are footpaths for the thought of Italy!
Thy fame is blown abroad from all the heights,
Through all the nations, and a sound is heard,
As of a mighty wind, and men devout,
Strangers of Rome, and the new proselytes,
In their own language hear thy wondrous word,
And many are amazed and many doubt.