John Ashbery

Something Similar


I, the city mouse, have traveled from a long ways away
To be with you with my news.  Now you have my passport
With its color photo in it, to be sweet with you
As the times allow.  I didn't say that because it's true,

I said it from a dim upstairs porch veiled
Shapely masses of this country you are the geography of
So you can put it in your wallet.  That's all we can do
For the time being.  Elegance has been halted for the duration

And may not be resumed again.  The bare hulk tells us
Something, but mostly about what a strain it was to be brought
To such a pass, and then abandoned.  So we may never
Again feel fully confident of the stratagem that bore us

And lived on a certain time after that.  And it went away
Little by little, as most things do.  To profit
By this mainstream is today's chore and adventure.  He
Who touches base first at dusk is possessed first, then wins.



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