*Beginning of /Ulysses/ by James Joyce |Versification|

Stately,

Plump buck mulligan came from the stairs,
Bearing a bowl of lather ;
A mirror and a razor lay crossed .
A yellow dressinggown, halfdoffed
Gently behind him :   the mild morning air .
The bowl aloft, he intoned :
Introibo ad altare dei .
Coarsely he called up | down the dark winding stones :
— Come up, kinch !   You fearful jesuit, come pray .

Solemnly forward, mounting the gunrest round,
He blessed gravely thrice :
The tower, surrounding country, awaking mounts .
Catching sight of stephen dedalus ;
Bent, he made rapid crosses in the air,
Gurgling his throat, shaking his reason .
Dedalus, displeased and sleepy, leaned
Arms on the top of the staircase, looked
Coldly ;  the shaking gurgling face, blessing—
Equine length, untonsured hair :
Pale oak .

Mulligan peeped under the mirror, a stroke ;
Covered the bowl smartly .
— Back to barracks !   Sternly .
[ Priestly ] :
— For this, o dearly beloved ;  the genuine
Christine :   body and soul and blood and ouns .
Slow music, please. Shut your eyes, gents .
One moment .
A little trouble about those corpuscles ashen .

Silence, all .

razormirror

* [ Paraphrased from :  “ Ulysses ” —James Joyce ]

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