draft 3 of "the humanities scholar"

i.

 People with a World inside them fascinate me,

but then there are those who are most empty.

they dwell in dusty libraries endlessly,

hoping to fill that emptiness, they learn,

memorizing a warrior's heroic feats,

studying the designs on an urn,

saying they recognize the motif 

ii.

What has loving literature done for you?

made you feel like you've lived a thousand lives,

you tell people about the metaphors in some lovely lyrics,

but do not expect them to listen,

Now you have a heart that feels twice as much,

and you still don't know who you are

iii.

I know, the world outside is cruel,

so I don't look up from the faded ancient map in my hands,

I look down on the drawings of sea monsters in the oceans,

here in my refuge

I start experimenting with writing verse,

when there are scholars gathering in the gallery,

I perceive them as being under a curse,

but the same madness they have compels me