"Inferno" Tribute Part 2
Author: Unknown
Along my right
there came upon me
a flash of a bright
and pungent light.
Tongues of fire licking
at the door frame.
Here I saw
this pitiful shrine.
Men, I think,of once aggrandizing stature,
now reformed into
a most decrepit form.
Eyes escaping from their heads,
limbs so gaunt, bodies thin,
what once may have been
a noble spine,
now e'er perverted
in unnatural curves.
These beings encircled
a dying fire
sheltering them from
else frigid conditions.
To feed that holocaust
and defeat impending frost,
All manner of things
into the fire they tossed.
When material
could not be found,
they turned to despair,
a point none should know.
Into the fire,
the bodies went,
to provide what little
warmth they could.
Those able
to withstand the pyre,
in futile vengeance,
ensnared their tormentors.
One wretch, upon spying
my observant eyes,
charged at me
with most fright'ning pace.
Slammed I the door
and went on my way,
saved from burning,
at least for today.
Learned I now
a golden rule,
taught by none,
obeyed by all:
Regardless of your
misery,
ready are those
to make it worse.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Posted: Aug 2010
About this poem:
I try to capture the vivid imagery that makes Dante's work so timeless, regardless of his then contemporary references that most don't understand without the aid of footnotes.