Wednesday, January 04, 2006

In Memoriam: Irving Layton 1912-2006

AGAINST THIS DEATH

I have seen respectable
death
served up like bread and wine
in stores and offices,
in club and hostel,
and from the streetcorner
church
that faces
two-ways;
I have seen death
served up
like ice.

Against this death,
slow, certain:
the body,
this burly sun,
the exhalations
of your breath,
your cheeks
rose and lovely,
and the secret
life
of the imagination
scheming freedom
from labour
and stone.

-- Irving Layton

2 comments:

Pris said...

Excellent poem. Very moving. Very well written.

Anonymous said...

A great site - www.irvinglayton.com - for news of his life and death.