12-Hour Carol Contest: The Comedy's Hallows, Danny Fitzpatrick

Danny Fitzpatrick is the author of a few books. He lives in New Orleans and edits a journal called Joie de Vivre.


The Comedy's Hallows


Some of my dreams have subsided,
While some of my wakings have stayed,
And all of the promises muttered
Have died on my lips as I prayed.
Heaven and hell and the mountain between
Have sweetened our angers, tra la!

No, none of the dead will consume you,
Though none of the dead will be gone
When the blood that you swore had receded
Has crept up at last in the dawn.
Hell and the mountain and heaven above
Have feasted our madness, ha ha!

The silence can no longer summon
The promise of deafening sleep
As leaves down the walk rush and rattle
And stricken hounds fawn on the deep.
The mountain and heaven and hell down below
Still linger beside us, la la!

The morning is mounting to fever
To scream the night’s sickness away
While the candles and liquors and curses
Are crowding the lips of the day.
Still heaven, hell, and the mountain of shades
Go singing beside us, ha ha!

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