My thanks to dear John Flanagan for this wonderful suggestion: 10 Famous First Lines... It is, perhaps, interesting to note that I have only placed two of the lines in the same place as the original, yet perhaps they are the key lines in both enjambements and the sense and meaning of both stanzas hangs from them? See what you think...

Thanks for sticking with all these NaPoWriMos all month, People. I'm grateful. I'm off up to London and thence to Spain for over a week, so I'll look forward to catching up with you when I am NaPoWriMo-free and able to concentrate more on reviewing! :)) xx

When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed
I met a traveler from an antique land
An old, mad, blind, despised and dying king
I felt a Funeral in my Brain
Had we but world enough and time
When I have fears that I may cease to be
Call the roller of big cigars
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day
If the red slayer thinks he slays
To see a World in a Grain of Sand








... and this is the version that John gave me to re-order:



The curfew tolls the knell of parting day
When I have fears that I may cease to be
An old, mad, blind, despised and dying king
I felt a Funeral in my Brain
If the red slayer thinks he slays
When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed
I met a traveler from an antique land
Had we but world enough and time
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
Call the roller of big cigars