Ignis Fatuus

I

THE ONLY SOLITUDE IS SLEEP OR DEATH

II

WE, WERE NOT CLEVER ENOUGH-

KIND TO OTHERS AND

CRUEL TO SELF WHEN SELF

ASKED FOR MERCY AND WAS

DENIED

III

THE HOLIEST PRIVACY REMAINS

WAITING ON US,

AND ALL THAT WAS MISUNDERSTOOD

OR ABANDONED WILL COME TOGETHER.

IV

LET MY FAILURE BE YOUR

FORTUNE: THIS THAT WAS BROKEN IN CARELESS

ERROR--LET IT BE KNOWN

THAT TO KNOW YOUR OWN DEATH

IS TO DIE TWICE: ONCE REALLY

AND THEN

HARDLY AT ALL.

V

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THERE IS

NOTHING AS UGLY

IN ALL IT'S TANGENTS

AS THE HUMAN BEAST--TRICK

SET AGAINST THE BLOOD OF YOUR

SOUL.

VI

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

SOLITUDE IS THE ONLY MERCY AND THE ONLY

LOVER.

VII

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT MOST MEN

LOVE WHAT THEY CAN SEE

AND THEY CAN SEE EACH OTHER

AND THEY LOVE THIS

BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY

LITTLE.

VIII

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I AM

BITTER AND DAMNED AND TIRED AND

USELESS; LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

WHEN THE FINAL HOPE GOES

THERE REMAINS BUT 
STARING AT THE DANCE AND 
WATCHING OF THE FEEBLE INTERCOURSE

OF THE IDIOTS

WITH VERY LITTLE

NOTE TAKING.

IX

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I AM

DEAD BUT THAT THERE IS NO

ANGER; LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

MOST MEN ARE DEAD MANY YEARS

BEFORE BURIAL; LET IT BE KNOWN

THAT MANY MEN DIE IN CHILDHOOD,

THAT MANY MEN ARE BORN DEAD--

ALTHOUGH THEIR PARTS MOVE AND

THEY MAKE SOUND AND GROW AND

ADVANCE INTO ADULT BEHAVIOR

AND DO THE THINGS OF CIVILIZATION;

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THESE MEN

NEVER EXISTED AND THAT THEIR FUNERALS

WERE EXTREME FARCE, AND ALSO THE DEAD TEARS

FOR THE ALREADY DEAD; LET IT BE KNOWN

THAT THE WORMS THEMSELVES WERE NEARER TO TRUTH

IN THAT THEY DID NOT

CRY.

X

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT MAN NEED NOT BE

CHRIST TO BE CRUCIFIED; LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

MAN CAN BE CRUCIFIED EACH DAY, EACH MOMENT

EACH BREATH;--TO SLEEP AND AWAKEN AND BE

TORMENTED AGAIN; LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

MAN CAN DIE AND DIE AND DIE AND DIE AND

STILL FEEL THE PAIN AND KNOW HE IS DEAD

AND STILL FEEL THE PAIN AND KNOW THERE IS

NOTHING HE CAN DO AND

STILL FEEL THE PAIN. LET IT BE KNOWN.

XI

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE TEMPLES ARE NOTHING

AND THE BELLS ARE NOTHING AND FAME IS NOTHING

AND VICTORY IS NOTHING AND [bad word] IS NOTHING AND

THAT SOLITUDE BRINGS MADNESS AND THE CROWD

BRINGS MADNESS AND DRINK EATS THE BODY LIKE 
TIGER; THAT THERE IS NO VOICE TO SPEAK WITH,

NO EAR TO HEAR.

XII

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

THERE WILL BE OTHER MEN SUCH AS I--

LIFTED FOR THE LION'S MOUTH, BURNED DOWN

BY FALSE LOVES, TRICKED BY KINDNESS, MISLED BY

INTELLECT, DIZZIED BY POESY, SACRIFICED FOR

PROFIT, USED AS CHEAP LABOR; AND THESE WILL BE

THE KINDEST OF THE HAPPENINGS COMPARED TO WHAT

WILL ENTER THE EYE AND THE EAR AND THE BRAIN

AND SEEP TO THE INNARDS TO BEGIN THEIR DEATH-WORK.

I PITY ALL SUCH BROTHERS OF MINE WHO WILL FOLLOW ME

IN THE CENTURIES, UNABLE TO LOVE BECAUSE THERE IS

NOTHING TO LOVE; UNABLE TO KILL BECAUSE THERE IS

NOTHING ALIVE; FOREVER HANGING AND BLEEDING AND

DIZZIED BY THE BEAST-HUMAN, THE WALLS, THE GARDENS,

THE SUN, THE FLOWERS, THE KISSES, THE FLAGS,

THE SEAS, THE ANIMALS, THE FOOD, THE LIQUORS,

THE PAINTINGS, THE SYMPHONIES, ALL USELESSNESS.

XIII

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

BIRTH IS NOT HOLY, THAT DEATH IS NOT HOLY,

THAT LIFE IS NOT HOLY; LET IT BE KNOWN THAT

I HAVE BLED WITHOUT CROWNS,

THAT I WILL BLEED IN MOMENT,

THAT I WILL BLEED FOREVER

RED RED RED

AND THE HAWKS WILL DANCE WITHIN MY BONES AND REJOICE;

BUT