It is not now as once it was <br />nor ever will it be again; <br />we don’t believe in Santa Claus, <br />and throw away the madeleine. <br /> <br />When we were weak in judgment we <br />would clamor for the agonies <br />of love, but now no longer wish to be <br />afflicted by this strange disease. <br /> <br />Its features are so pitiless, <br />we swear we will no more succumb <br />to siren cries of its distress, <br />reborn, insensitive and numb. <br /> <br />Mankind won’t end if we opt out, <br />too old in apathy to love; <br />each day will see new suckers sprout, <br />mistaking ravens for a dove. <br /> <br />Inspired by Thomas Hardy’s “I Said to Love”: <br /> <br />I said to Love, <br />'It is not now as in old days <br />When men adored thee and thy ways <br /> All else above; <br />Named thee the Boy, the Bright, the One <br />Who spread a heaven beneath the sun, ' <br /> I said to Love. <br /> <br /> I said to him, <br />'We now know more of thee than then; <br />We were but weak in judgment when, <br /> With hearts abrim, <br />We clamoured thee that thou would'st please <br />Inflict on us thine agonies, ' <br /> I said to him. <br /> <br /> I said to Love, <br />'Thou art not young, thou art not fair, <br />No faery darts, no cherub air, <br /> Nor swan, nor dove <br />Are thine; but features pitiless, <br />And iron daggers of distress, ' <br /> I said to Love. <br /> <br /> 'Depart then, Love! ... <br />- Man's race shall end, dost threaten thou? <br />The age to come the man of now <br /> Know nothing of? - <br />We fear not such a threat from thee; <br />We are too old in apathy! <br />Mankind shall cease.-So let it be, ' <br /> I said to Love. <br /> <br /> 10/21/05<br /><br />gershon hepner<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/it-is-not-now/
