Grandeur
I am not the man
who did the things I've done.
The author of an archive
of writing attributed to me
has already taken his leave.
What he left behind
impresses me so much
I'm at a loss for words.
This is the real stuff.
A stranger says the author
was grinning as he left,
and looked triumphant,
as if to say, Take that!
you legions of literati!
It is always the work itself
that gets the last word.
I am not the man
who did the things I've done.
The author of an archive
of writing attributed to me
has already taken his leave.
What he left behind
impresses me so much
I'm at a loss for words.
This is the real stuff.
A stranger says the author
was grinning as he left,
and looked triumphant,
as if to say, Take that!
you legions of literati!
It is always the work itself
that gets the last word.
