Mortal Summer

MORTAL SUMMER
by Mark Van Doren
The Prairie Press IOWA CITY
Copyright 1953 by Mark Van Doren Printed in the United States of America
MORTAL SUMMER
The cave they slept in, halfway down Olympus
On the eastern slope, toward Asia, whence the archangels
Even then were coming—even then
Bright Michael, and tall Gabriel, and the dark-faced
Raphael, healer of men’s wounds, were flying,
Flying toward the ship all ten would take—
The cave they slept in sparkled as their eyelids