To A Twentieth-Century Prophet

I prophesy

the dreadful superseded leaf
to fall on grief.

I prophesy
th'dredge of dews
will fall over the dredge of yews ^[sic]

I prophesy
the spiritual relationship of honeysuckle
and of feral yew, of Time's unpredictable buckle ^[sic]

I prophesy
the circumspection of reflection
in its own eyes will find perfection

I prophesy
the peeling of the petty
& th'rot of the ready

Of chuckle-headed poets that must die

& many-sided thoughts (turning & turning
to dust to dust) with all our yearnings

& the overshadowing, overwhelming by & by

disagreement over all your prophecy

I prophesy