Between Attention and Attention: Difference between revisions
Created page with "<meta author="Auden, Wystan Hugh" year_of_publication="1928" additional_information="" genre="Poetry" journal="" page_range="40-41" /> <annotations> <paragraph keywords=""> <poem> </poem> </paragraph> <paragraph keywords="traffic, train, metaphor"> <poem> Between attention and attention The first and last decision Is mortal distraction Of earth and air, Further and nearer, The vague wants Of days and nights, And personal error; And the fatigued face...." |
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<meta | <meta author="Auden, Wystan Hugh" year_of_publication="1928" additional_information="https://archive.org/details/collectedshorter0000aude_l1x9/page/26/mode/2up" genre="Poetry" journal="" page_range="40-41"></meta> | ||
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Latest revision as of 10:39, 9 April 2026
| Author | Auden, Wystan Hugh |
|---|---|
| Genre | Poetry |
| Journal or Book | - |
| Publisher | - |
| Year of Publication | 1928 |
| Pages | 40-41 |
| Additional information | https://archive.org/details/collectedshorter0000aude_l1x9/page/26/mode/2up |
Between attention and attention
The first and last decision
Is mortal distraction
Of earth and air,
Further and nearer,
The vague wants
Of days and nights,
And personal error;
And the fatigued face.
Taking the strain
Of the horizontal force
And the vertical thrust,
Makes random answer
To the crucial test;
The uncertain flesh
Scraping back chair
For the wrong train,
Falling in slush,
Before a friend’s friends
Or shaking hands
With a snub-nosed winner.
The opening window, closing door,
Open, close, but not
To finish or restore;
These wishes get
No further than
The edges of the town,
And leaning asking from the car
Cannot tell us where we are;
While the divided face
Has no grace,
No discretion,
No occupation
But registering
Acreage, mileage,
The easy knowledge
Of the virtuous thing.
