During April, National Poetry Month, we are posting a poem a day. If you would like to suggest one, please email it in. This poem was submitted by Pete Jackson. Aldous Huxley, best known as the author of was also a poet who published numerous poetry collections.

Two Realities by Aldous Huxley

A wagon passed with scarlet wheels
And a yellow body, shining new.
“Splendid!” said I. “How fine it feels
To be alive, when beauty peels
The grimy husk from life.” And you

Said, “Splendid!” and I thought you’d seen
That wagon blazing down the street;
But I looked and saw your gaze had been
On a child that was kicking an obscene
Brown ordure with his feet.

Our souls are elephants, thought I,
Remote behind a prisoning grill,
With trunks thrust out to peer and pry
And pounce upon reality;
And each at his own secret will

Seizes the buns he likes best
And passes over all the rest.

You can find a complete list of poems published to date here.