Song Against Songs, The

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h2>The Song Against Songs</h2> <div class="stanza"> <div class="line"><span class="upper-case">The</span> song of the sorrow of Melisande is a weary song and a dreary song,<br/></div> <div class="line">The glory of Mariana's grange had got into great decay,<br/></div> <div class="line">The song of the Raven Never More has never been called a cheery song,<br/></div> <div class="line">And the brightest things in Baudelaire are anything else but gay.<br/></div> </div><div class="stanza"> <SPAN class="pagenum" name="Page_43" title="43"> </SPAN><div class="line">But who will write us a riding song,<br/></div> <div class="line">Or a hunting song or a drinking song,<br/></div> <div class="line">Fit for them that arose and rode<br/></div> <div class="line">When day and the wine were red?<br/></div> <div class="line">But bring me a quart of claret out,<br/></div> <div class="line">And I will write you a clinking song,<br/></div> <div class="line">A song of war and a song of wine<br/></div> <div class="line">And a song to wake the dead.<br/></div> </div><div class="stanza"> <div class="line">The song of the fury of Fragolette is a florid song and a torrid song,<br/></div> <div class="line">The song of the sorrow of Tara is sung to a harp unstrung,<br/></div> <SPAN class="pagenum" name="Page_44" title="44"> </SPAN><div class="line">The song of the cheerful Shropshire Lad I consider a perfectly horrid song,<br/></div> <div class="line">And the song of the happy Futurist is a song that can't be sung.<br/></div> </div><div class="stanza"> <div class="line">But who will write us a riding song<br/></div> <div class="line">Or a fighting song or a drinking song,<br/></div> <div class="line">Fit for the fathers of you and me,<br/></div> <div class="line">That knew how to think and thrive?<br/></div> <div class="line">But the song of Beauty and Art and Love<br/></div> <div class="line">Is simply an utterly stinking song,<br/></div> <div class="line">To double you up and drag you down<br/></div> <div class="line">And damn your soul alive.<br/></div> </div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />