Rise Up by Patrick Cole

Rise Up Hungarian! by Janos Thorma, precise date uncertain, between 1898 and 1937.

Rise Up (After Thorma)
 
The old buildings witness the revolution
in the square.
They retain their style, some
pull it tightly around them
for the future.
What of the slush-covered
paving stones which connect them?
Stamped by the angry,
the jubilant, the speech-listeners,
the rabble roused.
 
The old buildings hold aloft
the dignity in remembrance,
in the knowledge that outcomes
are a fair market, unpredictable,
that only time consecrates, and
they hold much of that in their
pockets – basements, foundations,
window frames and the tiles of
canted roofs. So many thick hidden
beams.
 
Their calm is taken as tacit
support. And now the empty
spaces in the square are leaned
upon, and suddenly demand filling,
suddenly demand action. As if
some greatness hidden there. The
majesty transmission of facades,
now intercepted.
 
But the buildings make no loans,
none which can be redeemed.
Politics are borrowed, yes, and lives,
too; steel remelted, scorched crops
become rich, fecund land. Still the hallowed
cannot hallow, that is their grace,
is grace.
 
The commotion below, in the square –
something about motion is juvenile,
moments are distractions, too sweet.
And emotions true, but only to themselves,
and to others of their kind. Yet events
have their queer necessity.
 
The buildings, too, could be known
as risings. Now they witness the rebellion
at their feet, but never pause their
celebration, the long fête of being.
 
The buildings, the old buildings
watch the revolution in the square.

Patrick Cole

Patrick Cole: "Poetry of mine has appeared recently in The Heron Tree, Arsenic Lobster and New Verse News. Other of my work has been published in the Writing That Risks anthology (http://amzn.to/18BlCtw), Rivet, Cosmonaut Avenue, and The Conium Review. My work has appeared in numerous other literary journals, including Parcel (a Pushcart Prize nominee), High Plains Literary Review (also a Pushcart Prize nominee), Agni online, Nimrod International, 34th Parallel, and turnrow. A one-act play of mine was a finalist in the Knock International Play Competition and was produced in Seattle."