Most Read... John McAuliffeBill Manhire in Conversation with John McAuliffe
(PN Review 259)
Patricia CraigVal Warner: A Reminiscence
(PN Review 259)
Joshua WeinerAn Exchange with Daniel Tiffany/Fall 2020
(PN Review 259)
Eavan BolandA Lyric Voice at Bay
(PN Review 121)
Vahni CapildeoOn Judging Prizes, & Reading More than Six Really Good Books
(PN Review 237)
Christopher MiddletonNotes on a Viking Prow
(PN Review 10)
Next Issue Sinead Morrissey 'The Lightbox' Philip Terry 'What is Poetry' Ned Denny 'Nine Poems after Verlaine' Sasha Dugdale 'On learning that Russian mothers buy their soldier sons lucky belts inscribed with Psalm 90 to wear into battle' Rod Mengham 'Cold War Hot Air'
Poems Articles Interviews Reports Reviews Contributors
Reader Survey
PN Review Substack

This poem is taken from PN Review 21, Volume 8 Number 1, September - October 1981.

Homecoming Clive Wilmer

1. Mid-winter

The year goes out in wrath. And through the winter
Are scattered little days like cottages.
And lampless, hourless nights; and grey mornings,
Their indistinguishable images.

Summertime, autumn-time and season passing,
And brown death has seized on every fruit.
And new cold stars appear now in the darkness,
Unseen before, even from the ship's roof.

Pathless is every life. And every path
Bewildered. The end unknown. And whoso seeks
And finds a path finds that his utterance breaks
Off in sight of it, empty the hands he shakes.

2. A Winter Evening

When snow falls on pane and sill,
Long peals are borne on evening air;
...


Searching, please wait... animated waiting image