Kresge Writers' House Presents...

Submission - Poetry

19^th Century Feeling

This is a 19^th Century war, this feeling is

I’ll take your fire,

I’ll take your fire on the frontlines

This is some 19^th Century trade, this feeling is

You’ll cancel my debts,

but I’ll give you too much

You only wanted the port, well look what you got

You got quite a lot

And a year without summer, well that’s quite alright

If a volcanic winter leads to summer snow,

I’ll let my cells rupture in a mild frost,

Summer plants aren’t missed ‘til they’re gone

It’s in the words of this song

This is a 19^th Century defeat, this feeling is

Delay the battle ‘til the grounds dry

Historians will dispute the time,

they’ll erect the monument before the smoke clears

Before the smoke clears

This is a 19^th Century masterpiece, this feeling is

Well, you can study the morgue,

paint recent history if you like,

but I’ll run like a madman, I’ll stay an outline sketch

You can’t be blamed for examining the model before touching brush to canvas

Uprising, revolution, and rebellion could ensue

You chose industrialization

and manifesto

I chose the Great Disappointment

and no pity I seek

Failed prophecies don’t bother me,

mostly ‘cause living’s still fun when prophecies are done

This is a 19^th Century revival, this feeling is

wholly amateur in nature,

international in outlook

So no feelings will make merchandise of these beautiful specimens

These remarkable curiosities took nature thousands of years to prepare

And a thousand more to get to know,

A thousand more to know you so.