Variations on T.S. Eliot—II

T.S. Eli­ot: Lines to a Duck in the Park 

The long light shakes across the lake,

The forces of the mor­ning quake,

The dawn is slant across the lawn,

Here is no eft or mor­tal snake

But only slug­gish duck and drake.

I have seen the mor­ning shine,

I have had the Bread and Wine,

Let the fea­the­red mor­tals take

That which is their mor­tal due,

Pin­ching bread and fin­ger too.

Easier had than squir­ming worm;

For I know, and so should you

That soon the enqui­ring worm shall try

Our well-pre­ser­ved complacency.