Читать книгу No Second Eden - Turner Cassity - Страница 13

Cities of the Plain and Fancy

Tarred with the brush, and soon to be

Inflicted with the tars themselves,

That is to say, brimstone, Gomorrah

Has the worst of both its worlds.

Too second-city, too remote

To christen, as it were, a vice,

Too metro-area, too close

And too “me too” to miss the fire,

The unpreferred metropolis,

An early Oakland, binds its wounds.

If guests, the Angels of the Lord

Or Lot’s leftovers, do not here

Apply for rooms at any inn,

Still, locals have their cakes and ale,

If not enough self-confidence

To say to any watchful host,

“Bring out the men unto us, that …

That we may introduce ourselves.”

None bargained here for one good man,

Though who can say we could have not

Provided ten, such is the lack

Of opportunity, and lag

In giving up the former Law.

No refugee will be detained

As a saline nostalgia, ties

Of blood not make for incest then.

Such reputation as we have

Is notoriety unearned,

Except as being back-up earns.

No dredge will search Dead Seas for us;

If chance uncovers us at all

It will not change our lesser rank.

Pompeii has the tourist trade,

Not Herculaneum. We speak

To you as Nagasaki might:

Eternally the second choice,

But heart no less on fire for that.