51

The struggle of the mind to bring to bear
a pattern in the mystery     the quiet
balance     imaged in these wet
streams     circling the old town everywhere.

Here once came     the young barbarian,
who fell in love     with this integrity of
land     & gently curving waterway;
found kingdom come     a petrine origin,
where dikes     domesticate the ocean --
Atlantis,     very human now     & Dutch.

& here     within this village radius
the labors of a Mondrian     circuitous
uplifted principle     serene     would reach
a dreamy apogee--     & build a world to match.

                           Amersfoort
                           12.7.96

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Henry Gould | Island Road 52
Contents | Mudlark No. 6