“Enemies and Co.” by Ernest Hilbert, in The Oxonian Review
by Ernie on 05/02/10 at 10:01 am
After Cyril Connolly
So many, the enemies of promise.
They’re everywhere. Larkin imagined a toad,
Squatting on the back, weighing us down, called work.
You’re smothered half to death by false kindness.
The temp job stinks. They increased your workload.
Lunch talk is dry and spiteful. You grip your fork
While they jaw about the next vacation.
They couldn’t care less about your efforts
To improve the novel or refine verse.
Your folks urged law school—you’ll need a pension.
What if your prospects plunge from worse to worst?
There’s much more hope in pharms and e-commerce.
We’re all in it. It’s how writers’ lives go.
Forget the rest: you’ll be your own worst foe.
The Oxonian Review features essays and reviews of recently published work in literature, politics, history, science and the arts. It is published by graduate members of the University of Oxford, although it welcomes contributions from other University members and non-Oxford affiliates. Contributors bear sole responsibility for its content, which in no way reflects the views of the University of Oxford.
Founded as The Oxonian Review of Books at Balliol College, Oxford, in 2001, The Oxonian Review publishes biweekly, on Mondays, with a yearly print edition released at the end of each year. Published in print on a termly basis from 2001 to 2008, The Oxonian Review relaunched in January 2009 as an online biweekly with a yearly print run.
