Look out! Look out! cry out eyes
at Vision in its starkness
Bats will rattle in our throats!

then, in th'broken mankind/banter
(when the steps reveal: Beast!
to be our highest Ideal at its least)

then, we'll laugh at th'ant, th'panther

tremble at our own brute thoughts

Caverns which we, outgrowing one day,
we staying there no more,

by Mind's hammers we turned our Way,
folded like baggage (exterior
to interior) & stored in safe metaphors

style: caverns of romantic guile,
caverns of earthly foods
in which we safeguarded a while
our kidnapped moods

Caverns from which we stept
out of th'sleep we slept

into th'dream we kept--
Caverns! where Christ lay one day:

caverns, caverns far away. ²¹⁶