A Lesson for This Sunday Poem by Derek Walcott

A Lesson for This Sunday

Rating: 4.5


The growing idleness of summer grass
With its frail kites of furious butterflies
Requests the lemonade of simple praise
In scansion gentler than my hammock swings
And rituals no more upsetting than a
Black maid shaking linen as she sings
The plain notes of some Protestant hosanna—
Since I lie idling from the thought in things—

Or so they should, until I hear the cries
Of two small children hunting yellow wings,
Who break my Sabbath with the thought of sin.
Brother and sister, with a common pin,
Frowning like serious lepidopterists.
The little surgeon pierces the thin eyes.
Crouched on plump haunches, as a mantis prays
She shrieks to eviscerate its abdomen.
The lesson is the same. The maid removes
Both prodigies from their interest in science.
The girl, in lemon frock, begins to scream
As the maimed, teetering thing attempts its flight.
She is herself a thing of summery light,
Frail as a flower in this blue August air,
Not marked for some late grief that cannot speak.

The mind swings inward on itself in fear
Swayed towards nausea from each normal sign.
Heredity of cruelty everywhere,
And everywhere the frocks of summer torn,
The long look back to see where choice is born,
As summer grass sways to the scythe's design.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Dr Dillip K Swain 06 January 2018

A great piece of poetry.. enjoyed reading it

2 0 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 18 October 2017

Idleness of summer grass with its frail kites of furious butterflies brings nice imagery and summer grass sways to the scythe's design. The lesson is the same. The maid removes both prodigies from their interest in science. There is no need to fear. Every positive perspective gives learning. Excellently penned poem is shared...10

1 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 18 October 2017

Itself in fear! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

1 0 Reply
Subhas Chandra Chakra 18 October 2017

And everywhere the frocks of summer torn, The long look back to see where choice is born, A beautiful poem co nicely crafted.

1 0 Reply
Anil Kumar Panda 18 October 2017

'The mind swings inward on itself in fear Swayed towards nausea from each normal sign. Heredity of cruelty everywhere, And everywhere the frocks of summer torn, The long look back to see where choice is born, As summer grass sways to the scythe's design. ' is very touching. Not a lazy sunday of course and with so many twists and turns. Beautiful poem.

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Derek Walcott

Derek Walcott

Castries / St Lucia
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