The Road to Erehwon

Gold cherry

By Ewan

Wed, 06 Mar 2024
  • 498 reads
11 comments
 

The Road to Erehwon

I know where the sunlit uplands lie
becomes the truth:
Beyond Barrow's Bay
and Croker's Mountains.

Through Cockaigne,
passing Kildare’s merry monks,
guided by peasants, soldiers and clerks
who have gorged all the plenty.

We go dutch across Luilekkerland
saving our widowers’ mites
for Schlaraffenland where our lazy-bones
will rouse no captious cavil-ment.

On, on, and ever on,
‘til any hope of return is gone.

We board the ship of fools,
two-by-two, in borrowed shoes,
cross Gulliver’s wide uncharted seas
and miss Atlantis by 20000 leagues.

Ashore again, far in the distance
are Shangri La and El Dorado,
shimmering like precious stones
along the blue horizon.

We cross the the River Jordan
to find no promised land,
just tares and salted earth,
there are no flowers to gather.

I know where the uplit sunlands lie
becomes the truth over the horizon
somewhere, beyond the sea,
beyond earning or yearning.

On, on and ever on
one by one, each mirage gone.

 

[If you'd prefer audio go here]

Certificate U
Poem
Not Good Enough
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Land of Milk and Honey. So many hidden messages in his works during days when dissent was a dangerous past time. Nothing changes crying it seems.

A very thoughtful poem, as often yours are. I wonder why we search for answers that are never there?

 

 

 

Submitted by Ewan on

 ça change...

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Brilliantly done, Ewan, and every word true. But I do miss the days when I believed that the sunlit uplands were out there somewhere.

Submitted by airyfairy on

A thoughtful, perceptive and beautifully constructed meditation on where so many of us feel we are now. It bears multiple readings. It's our Facebook and X Pick of the Day.

Submitted by marandina on

"We board the ship of fools,
two-by-two, in borrowed shoes,
cross Gulliver’s wide uncharted seas
and miss Atlantis by 20000 leagues."

So many cultural references. A poem of great skill.

I hope you eventually find those sunlit uplands. I hope we all do.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Very well deserved golden cherries - thank you Ewan (all your own work too! : ));

 

Submitted by celticman on

wow, didn't understand a word, but I'm agog. 

 

Submitted by Ewan on

  wrong with being a gog.I like gogs.
.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Kris on

He's just dam good, no buts or whats about it....

On a friendly prod.. theres a bit a Navy chime 'n der, just say'n com'n from RAF guy... (smile)wink

Land of Cockaigne >>> cant say I've looked at that to close... BUT.... certainly lived in that moment a time or #.... Cheers*

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Wow! I'm having fun sourcing all the references; which does not detract from my admiration of the skill in this poem; it is (for me) a sad/sweet lament for all our borrowed dreams. 

Dougie Moody

Submitted by Turlough on

Ah Kildare, it's direct I will repair... I'm pleased you called in on the Carmelites with the Armalites.

An intriguing and enjoyable bit of writing you've got there Ewan.

Turlough