The Close-Up (1928)

_There are many angel faces,

Viewed from places far away,

Which, upon a near vision,

Very quickly turn to clay.

There are many matchless heroes

Who can hold us in their spell,

But who fade away to weakness

When we really know them well.

There are many hissing villians

Who, on closer view, are found

To possess a kindly spirit

And an honor quite profound.

So it runs throughout the picture,

As it probably is best,

That the close-up tells the story

Whether one can meet the test_.

Collected poems of Clarence Edwin Flynn, second series · 第 175 / 215 题