120
While from the table on the other side,
Psychology
Fastened on friends, and self-applied,
Grapples poor human dignity
Into its mechanisms, to debase
Or take its place ...
Serves an eavesdropper right. And anyhow
Clinking of glass
And sudden laughter drown them now ...
Outside the window tourists pass
Our old drunks and young toughs with averted face
And know their place.
And I, all the while hoping to outguess,
Outwit, outwait,
The subtler forms of foolishness
That have been crowding me of late
Inside and out -- I study to outface
This commonplace:
The old wisdom and the old beauty both being gone,
Their imperfections
Forgiven, now the harm is done,
At least by me (in my refl ections
A trouble still) -- what now, for wit, strength, grace,
Will take their place?
Make us our buildings (say) that the light fall
For your material
Intelligent delight
Across them handsomely all day, let night
Show dark on stars some shape of ornament
That opens on the deeps of your intent.