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At The Imperial Residence On Capri
Rumors of wild parties, rank perversity,
and naked children on a pike erected
are false, spread by some craven enemies;
untrue. The emperor's full energy
falls on imperial administration,
which he approaches with a scholarly
obsession; to that end projected.
From dawn to midnight, he reads long reports---
financial records, judments from the courts
presided over by the deputies
selected, and now serving, at his pleasure.
He holds them to the highest, human measure
of accuracy (his chief expectation).
Today I served him lunch, right at high noon
(he does not pause his work for any meal).
The sky became dark: neither sun nor moon
nor stars disclosed their light, nor could reveal
their whereabouts. Seizing the spoon's long handle
from my hands (touched, not seen), he laughed and sent
me stumbling to find flame toi light a candle.
He said, "My time cannot be idly spent.
A Roman solder never, ever cowers
"from difficult conditions," The duration
of that strange darkness was a long three hours.
Starward
[jlc]
