Showing posts with label death metaphor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death metaphor. Show all posts

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.