421. Poem: The History Major

Drunk with poetry I urged a friend into the streets quoting the flaming words but he said no that's only half the story and another friend said here's the other half and another friend flaming said no here's the other half and another said right but here's at least a sixth of it you've got to fit in and we were all drunk and fighting like the Irish slamming with words until Pete got the idea of slamming with facts no one fact a small fact just enough to wipe the satisfied look off Arnold's face so he takes it to Victor the history major and Victor says to Arnold no it wasn't the way you say here not in this part of the story and Pete says see but Victor says no it wasn't your way either not quite not here and both say to Victor godalmighty how the hell was it and Victor says complicated too complicated for a poem and seeing their falling faces he says complicated but simple enough in places for me to tell you how it definitely wasn't and Arnold says well that's something and Pete says enough I hope for you to check with Victor before you go shooting off your mouth and Arnold says you too buddy.

420. Poem: Sorry, kid, I'm going gentle.

No matter what you hear rage rage from the crazy Irishman your English prof loves no matter what you hear around caskets oh he was a fighter no matter how many expressions of man's indomitable spirit are held up to you in anthologies Ahab that idiot taking a whale's natural slash personally even cosmically while the instructed hearts of the students go pitty-pat over a man a mere man but our man standing up against a hostile universe while the instructor pale but young and so far from the last intravenous drip beams at the even younger fellows of his noble species I say OK it's a battle and what does a sensible human being do when he contemplates battle a general or a country he figures his chances and if they are very much against him he doesn't fight and what are his chances here zero kid zero so do you expect your old man to fight and go down like an idiot?