Friday, January 14, 2011

from "The Dream Songs" by John Berryman


Dream Song 382

At Henry's bier let some thing fall out well:

enter there none who somewhat has to sell,

the music ancient & gradual,

the voices solemn but the grief subdued,

no hairy jokes but everybody's mood

subdued, subdued,


until the Dancer comes, in a short short dress

hair black & long & loose, dark dark glasses,

uptitled face,

pallor & strangeness, the music changes

to 'Give!' & 'Ow!' and how! the music changes,

she kicks a backward limb

on tiptoe, pirouettes, & she is free

to the knocking music, sails, dips, & suddenly

returns to the terrible gay

occasion hopeless & mad, she weaves, it's hel,

she flings to her head a leg, bobs, all is well,

she dances Henry away.

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