Published in Overland Issue 21 Winter 1961 · Poetry October Francis Geyer In Memoriam Istvan FarkasCompanion, come at lastTo our last hour, we shareNo pain, my sorrow’s past.I dance on light and wearLight’s dazzle in my breast.My dear companion, rest,I leave you now to severMemory and hope forever.“I brought you through unendingWhirlpools of hidden loveSafe, and I bore the rendingTalons of pain, and stroveAll night with faceless fearsFor your sake, and my tearsWere salt, salt, for your sake.It is I whom you forsake.”Companion, tool put byAs useless now, I stareThrough light, superb of eyeAnd weightless rest on air.What arrow is it finds me?What is the weight that binds me?O plumed with pain I fall,Companion, to your call.“I sing the nosegay hours.My father’s hand in mine.The secret speech of flowers(Such fragments heard!) A pineFingers the silks of cloud.White heron on the loudWinds across Alfold come.Syllables like a drum.”Companion, wanderingWith childhood’s quickening tongue,Once, saying was the thing-N ow world and word are sprungApart-“I see once moreBalaton’s level shore.Father, I see the whiteHeron dissolve in light.”I’ll wear no mortal dress.Why should the spirit kneel?“Alfold, horizonless,Your galloping herdsmen wheel.O childhood lost and found!My human wheat is groundTo the wafer of this pain.O unhorizoned plain!“In fallen blood I lie.I dream, I shall not wake.Though men and cities dieBurning for freedom’s sake,Yet each man dies alone.”Look, the white her-on’s goneSoaring, and does not grieve,And hope and freedom live Francis Geyer More by Francis Geyer › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 6 November 20246 November 2024 · Poetry TV Times Kate Lilley I try out for Can Can after school / knowing I’m not cut out for the high kicks / Ballads chansons show tunes ok / I can belt out Judy Garland and all the songs from Oliver / “Who Will Buy”/”As Long as He Needs Me” / Wher-e-e-e-ere is love 25 October 20244 November 2024 · Poetry Phar Lap Ender Başkan we have a horse in our shed dad look dad me and gabe are feeding him grass he likes grass he eats grass and chaff dad gabe said his name is phar lap dad come on phar lap! i got some grass for yooooou!