"The Mad Old Man"

   "Stars," He said, "are the entrances to hell,
better known as the created universe,
rings of fire through which falling angels fall
into the matter trap." I called my horse
with my mindwhistle, frightened by the fierce
look on His face, by His flaring, flaming eyes,
and flew back to my golden tower of verse
somewhere on the other side of Paradise.
I drew a cloak of dreams about my thoughts
but fiery moths came, hungry and insane,
and made a ragged mockery of my nights.
I sought the mad old Man but He was gone
and I suspect that He has fallen through
the holes in His head and that I may too,

--Walter H Kerr