
Edits to “The Character of love seen as a search for the lost”
I appreciate Kenneth Patchen’s The Character of love seen as a search for the lost for its mixture of secular and religious imagery (Hi there. I’m an atheist.). I’d like to think that the poem as a whole elevates the search for love to be on par with the search for piety. But let’s face it — the original poem has some severe problems. These include but are not limited to problems with gender that even I, a non-aficionado, can detect. Here I (rather lazily) comment on the poem by essentially rewriting it. The original text may be found here. Portions of this revision were motivated by the film Mindwalk.
(Edited Version) The Character of love seen as a search for the lost
You, one; I, another; this, the world:
And each is the work of all.
There is the muffled step in the snow; the stranger;
The crippled wren; the nun; the dancer; the Angel-wing
Around the walkers in the village; and there are
Many beautiful arms around us and the things we know.
See how those stars tramp over the heavens on their sticks
Of ancient light: with what simplicity that blue
Takes eternity into the quiet cave of God, where Ceasar
And Socrates, Einstein and Aristotle,
Look, with idiot eyes, upon the world where we two are.
You, the sought for; I, the seeker; this, the search:
And each is the mission of all.
So let us not hastily do more, or stop pity; but be
Wider in living; that all our cities fly a clean flag…
I say — We have been alone too long, love; it is terribly late.
There are no pierced feet on the water, and yet we must not die now.
Yes: All the windows in heaven are broken.
We see the homeless in the open grave of God’s hand.
All while the oligarchs reacquaint themselves with the fatuous music of war.
There is the muffled step in the snow; the stranger;
The crippled wren; the nun; the dancer; the angel-wing
Over the walkers in the village; and there are
Many Beautiful-Desperate arms around us
and all the things we know.
