There Are Not Many Kingdoms Left in  General   

I write the lips of the moon upon her shoulders. In a
temple of silvery farawayness I guard her to rest.

For her bed I write a stillness over all the swans of the
world. With the morning breath of the snow leopard I
cover her against any hurt.

Using the pen of rivers and mountaintops I store her
pillow with singing.

Upon her hair I write the looking of the heavens at
early morning.

-- Away from this kingdom, from this last undefiled
place, I would keep our governments, our civilization, and
all other spirit-forsaken and corrupt institutions.

O cold beautiful blossoms of the moon moving upon
her shoulders . . . the lips of the moon moving there . . .
where the touch of any other lips would be a profanation.

By Kenneth Patchen

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Other poems by Kenneth Patchen:

• As We Are So Wonderfully Done With Each Other
• Creation
• Fall of the Evening Star
• In the footsteps of the walking air
• Let Us Have Madness
• Pastoral
• Saturday Night in the Parthenon
• The Naked Land
• The Orange Bears
• The Slums
• The Temple
• There Are Not Many Kingdoms Left
• We Go Out Together In the Staring Town
• When We Were Here Together

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