The Dream of Narcissus (by Michael Palmer)

Griffin Prize for Excellence In Poetry, The (2001 - 0)

1The dream of Narcissus,

2that there would be a silence loud as time

3The dream of the writer,

4that there could be a silence loud as time

5The dream of time,

6that rest might come

7The dream of rest,

8that unrest might arise

9The dream of the palm,

10that pilgrims would enter the village

11The dream of the village,

12that they depart with their fronds

13And the house dreaming of its leveling,

14and the exile of his well

15The dream of night,

16that the day would be purified

17The dream of day,

18that the dark would be lifted

19And the dream of the dream,

20but who’s to speak of this

Publication Notes

Michael Palmer, Company of Moths (New York: New Directions, 2005). This poem is reproduced on the Griffin Prize Web Site (from a volume on the 2006 International Shortlist).

RPO poem Editors

Ian Lancashire

RPO Edition

2011