In Book VII of the Dream Songs, Henry (protagonist) sails to Ireland and stays there for the rest of the Book. I decided to post three pieces from this (because the poem's ended); here's the first one:
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Dream Song 316
By John Berryman
Blow upon blow, his fire-breath hurt me sore,
I upped my broad sword & it hurt him more,
without his talons at a loss
& dragons are stupid: I wheeled around to the back of him
my charger swift and then I trimmed him
tail-less.
Offering dragons quarter is no good,
they re-grow all their parts & come on again,
they have to be killed.
I set my lance & took him as I would,
in the fiery head, he crumpled like a man,
and one prophecy was fulfilled:
that thrice for Lady Valerie I would suffer
but not be wax from like a base-born duffer,
no no, Sir Henry would win.
until a day that was not prophesied,
having restored her lands. My love & pride
fixed me like a safety-pin.
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