Easy Knowledge
Between attention and attention,
The first and last decision,
Is mortal distraction
Of earth and air,
Further and nearer,
The vague wants
Of days and nights,
And personal error;
And the fatigued face,
Taking the strain
Of the horizontal force
And the vertical thrust,
Makes random answer
To the crucial test;
The uncertain flesh,
Scraping back chair
For the wrong train,
Falling in slush
Before a friend’s friends
Or shaking hands
With a snub-nosed winner.
The opening window, closing door,
Open, close, but not
To finish or restore;
These whishes get
No further than
The edges of the town,
And leaning asking from the car
Cannot tell us where we are;
While the divided face
Has no grace
No discretion,
No occupation
But registering
Acreage, mileage,
The easy knowledge
Of the virtuous thing.
May 1930
W.H. Auden
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