Chimera Song Mosaic
Monday, May 19, 2003
 
If only I knew myself as deeply as the speaker knows his subject in Geoffrey Hill's "Mercian Hymns"

King of the perennial holly-groves, the riven sand-
stone: overlord of the M5: architect of the his-
storic rampart and ditch, the citadel at Tamworth,
the summer hermitage at Holy Cross: guardian of
the Welsh Bridge and the Iron Bridge: contractor
to the desirable new estates: saltmaster: money-
changer: commisioner for oaths: martyrologist:
the friend of Charlemagne.

'I liked that,' said Offa, 'sing it again' (1.1-9).

- posted by Deborah Wardlaw Pattillo @ 5:44 PM

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