High Diver How deep is his duplicity who in a flash Passes from resting bird to flying bird to fish, Who momentarily is sculpture, then all motion, Speed and splash, then climbs again to contemplation.
He is the archer who himself is bow and arrow. He is the upper-under-world commuting hero.
His downward going has the air of sacrifice To some dark seaweed-bearded seagod face to face.
Or goddess. Rippling and responsive lies the water For him to contemplate, then powerfully to enter. Robert Francis Biography Robert Francis
duplicityto be deliberatelydeceitful in speechor behaviour
Poem sourced from:Mahoney, B. (2009). Poetry Reloaded. Melbourne, VIC: Cambridge University Press
How deep is his duplicity who in a flash
Passes from resting bird to flying bird to fish,
Who momentarily is sculpture, then all motion,
Speed and splash, then climbs again to contemplation.
He is the archer who himself is bow and arrow.
He is the upper-under-world commuting hero.
His downward going has the air of sacrifice
To some dark seaweed-bearded seagod face to face.
Or goddess. Rippling and responsive lies the water
For him to contemplate, then powerfully to enter.
Robert Francis
Biography Robert Francis
Poem sourced from: Mahoney, B. (2009). Poetry Reloaded. Melbourne, VIC: Cambridge University Press