Consensus
Too soon some of we became they
None of us wished this for ourselves
Yet some wished the rest less
Moved to move many away from the most
Chose to nominate the preterite out of our midst
And the song of agreement went out from amongst us went wrong
In the trying of times trials multiplied
The darkening colors of closing time shaded our prospect
But ours was a music of consensus could it only live
In a dissolute time ours was a resolution were it allowed to sound
The profound space of ourselves could it but breathe
In the free air of our improvising was community
Airing our differences to the rhythms of deep time
As deep listening to the welling waves of thought
Transposes into keys to the kingdom registers of faith
We shall gather in the rest we shall gather by …
Consensus
Too soon some of we became they
None of us wished this for ourselves
Yet some wished the rest less
Moved to move many away from the most
Chose to nominate the preterite out of our midst
And the song of agreement went out from amongst us went wrong
In the trying of times trials multiplied
The darkening colors of closing time shaded our prospect
But ours was a music of consensus could it only live
In a dissolute time ours was a resolution were it allowed to sound
The profound space of ourselves could it but breathe
In the free air of our improvising was community
Airing our differences to the rhythms of deep time
As deep listening to the welling waves of thought
Transposes into keys to the kingdom registers of faith
We shall gather in the rest we shall gather by the river
Scoundrel time is not to be our time
We play against it and are called free
by A. L. Nielsen from Academy of American Poets
Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now.