No subject

Into the ethical life,
The dense commuters come,
Repeating their morning vow:
“I will be true to the wife,
I’ll concentrate more on my work.”
And helpless governors wake
To resume their compulsory game.
Who can release them now?
Who can reach the deaf?
Who can speak for the dumb?

All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man-in-the-street
And the lie of authority
Whose buildings grope the sky.
There is no such thing as the state,
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
For the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.

Defenseless under the night,
Our world in stupor lies;
Yet dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages.
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust,
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair,
Show an affirming flame.

	--W.H. Auden


_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp