31 MAY 1963, Page 21

A Trick to Catch the Old One

The fight is with Proteus. Victory is logistics. Thus

Be a previous man. Assemble, along the shore, The necessities of the case. For the bull, octopus Goes one better. Or turn matador.

For the fish-phase, nets. Snake, mongoose. Bird, shotgun.

Fire for the tree. Against the fire, foam. Against foam—appeal quickly, you have won: The Old Man, done for, plods back home. —All these Protean labours went awry: Because, out ,of the foam (not dressed to fight, But in soft woman's things, and almost shy, Though flushing gently with intrinsic light) Came up a trick not in the repertoire:

The Sea Queen stood there, changeless as a star.

JOHN HOLLOWAY