Anaphora
I was debating whether to buy this handsome edition of the Collected Poems of Stephen Spender in its red jacket. In the time-honoured tradition of the browser, I opened the volume and read "The War God" which begins with the following question
Why cannot the one goodNot put off by the Christian allusion to the Dove of Peace, I read the next stanza with its anaphora
Benevolent feasible
Final dove, descend?
And the wheat be divided?Sold, I headed to the counter to finalize the purchase and so home to read the rest of the poem and rest in the resonance of its final line: "Love's need does not cease."
And the soldiers sent home?
And the barriers torn down?
And the enemies forgiven?
And there be no retribution?
And so for day 1521
11.02.2011