Days Like This

Day like this I want to climb The Retreat Mountain to its Malvern peak And hear diverse doves that coo sublime As my soul its ancient manhood seek In memory coy Days like this as mangoes ripe Sweet on the hunger of the eye, my tongue Longs its ancient language to speak, wipe Clean the glut and pus of city lung And inhale new joy Days like this I want to fly From Black River to Gold Coast, and wet My feet in its river, a brown butterfly Escaping the hunters' hungry net Who come to destroy Days like this, I wish you knew The story of my journey, my ancient start To find the thing we could not view With mortal love and mortal heart Half conscious in the alloy.