H.A.R.P.

How could this traitor live a lie?

watching his step, watching his speech,

watching himself—‘What am I?’

Well, but what am I to preach?

Am always I, are always you,

is always any human being

not only to his own self true

but shown so to his neighbours’ seeing?

Each of us sometimes wears a mask,

most of us often.  Such as he,

taking up their ungrateful task,

must fix it irremovably,

till where’s the mask and where’s the face?

Yet, turning to ourselves again,

is there so huge an otherness

between that and the run of men?

   —

The mangled reputation lies

stoned, to be spat on as we pass

by those who dare not recognise

that all our houses are of glass.