Resurrection of Arp

Resurrection of Arp

Original Text
A. J. M. Smith, The Complete Poems, ed. Brian Trehearne (London, Ontario: Canadian Poetry Press, 2007): 90-91.
2out of the black sleeve of the tomb;
3he could see like a cat in the dark,
4but the light left him dumb.
5He stood up to testify,
6and his tongue wouldn’t work
7in the old groove; he had to try
8other tongues, including the Scandinavian.
9The saints were all well pleased;
11heresies scattered like ninepins;
12all the tickets were sold.
13When they turned down the gas
14everybody could see there was
15a halo of tongues of pale fire
17and a white bird
18fluttered away in the rafters;
19people heard
21He spoke another language
22majestic beautiful wild
23holy superlative believable
24and undefiled
25by any comprehensible
26syllable
27to provoke dissent
28or found a schism …
29After the gratifyingly large
30number of converts had been given receipts
31the meeting adjourned to the social hall
32for sexual intercourse (dancing) and eats.
33Arp talked to the reporters:
34on the whole, was glad to have cheated the tomb,
35though the angels had been ‘extremely courteous’,
36and death, after all, was only ‘another room’.

Notes

1] A parody of Christ's resurrection from the tomb three days after his crucifixion. Back to Line
10] periods: sentences. Back to Line
16] At Pentecost the Holy Ghost, symbolized as a white bird, descended on the apostles of Christ in tongues of fire and gave them the ability to speak in different languages. Back to Line
20] breaking of .. wind: farting. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1934
Publication Notes
New Verse
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire / Sharine Leung
RPO Edition
2011
Form
Special Copyright

Copyright © the estate of A.J.M. Smith. Included
with the generous permission of William Toye, his literary executor.