Oh, words,
you were empty vessels
grazing on virgin hillsides,
transparent to the sun.
...
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Well, this one is just excellent, Max. Strong, original images all the way through. I particularly like the conscription thing. Miniscule gripe: Drop the Merton intro - It's unecessary and distracts from the beauty of your own words. But it's no big deal.
Max, well! You found your muse again. This is brilliantly beautiful. Thank you.
I feel this one like you wouldn't believe. It's one of the best flowing and 'tightest' writes you've done; even richer by its choice of the few right words. It's going into my favorites.