rob roy

[constantine]

it took me years to forget
and years to remember,
but i hold on to it now
it is mine, it is all i have
i live by my name
i know the things a man must do
and what a man must not
like a sword, i cleave
and live by the better half
and what i have not
is someone else's affair
it does not matter to me

gone the boundary stone
take to the highland forest
i live with my companions
the sparrow of tenacious industry
the tree anchored, feet in mud, arms
to the heavens, they grow until they die
the grass resilient, bramble
thorny - alert
they counsel and comfort
my heart in tempo
with harmony wild
with tumultuous grace

i am rob roy
and i return to the valley of my name
it is a simple matter to say these things,
to make idle declarations of breezy intent
surely, i have been of this kind
i spared the spoke to spin the wheel
and suffered in the consequence
it took me years to remember this
i stand in my shoes -
i am my own better man,
honor is the present a man gives
to himself

[hester_prynne]

Fantastic feeling in your words here Constantine.
I love this...."a tree anchored..feet in mud....arms to the heavens..."
You blow me away....often.

H

[saw]

as I said, on another site, a journey I can relate to....well done

[constantine]

thank you brother steve. theda, as always, you are too kind. thank you.

[mtmynd]

a sense of melancholy that won't go away remains after reading this.

well done, 'c'... very well done.

[Lightning Rod]

"i spared the spoke to spin the wheel "

this line reminds me of Auden, dino
well done