Perspectives

i.

Hardy, in his great poem "Hap," maintains

he would be comforted to find his pains

were not what they in fact appear to be—

expected outcomes of "Crass Casualty"—

but the fulfillment of some higher will

intent on doing Thomas Hardy ill.

ii.

Aneas, faced with overwhelming odds,

saw in a vision how the very gods

whom he had served now helped his foes destroy

the walls and towers and palaces of Troy.

There is in Vergil, though, no evidence

this vision comforted the Trojan prince.

Bill Coyle

© 2001; originally printed in Dark Horse.  Reprinted
by permission of the author.