Salt is pity, brooms are fury, The waterclock stands for primordial harmony. The spruce forest, which is said to be @3Like a cathedral@1 Indicates proliferation of desire. The real meaning of the beginning Will not become clear until later, if ever. Things no longer being what they were, Artifice poses as process, The voice is tinged with melancholy. The teacup, the brass knuckles, and the pearl-handled razor Resist interpretation As if to say That half the wind is in the mind And half in the mind of the wind. Speaking through the character Who comes to faith on his deathbed, The author makes apology For saying things he didn't mean. Little girl-cousins with ribbons in their hair Confuse him with their names and are carried away By laughter. Thus, @3The force of love comes from belief, Hate is from lack of doubt.@1 Paradox by paradox the narrative proceeds Until half the stars are @3absolute tears@1. The other half are @3mirrors@1. Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368-0271, www.cc.press.org | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...OBERMANN ONCE MORE by MATTHEW ARNOLD LINES INSCRIBED UPON A CUP FORMED FROM A SKULL by GEORGE GORDON BYRON THE FAIREST THING IN MORTAL EYES by CHARLES D'ORLEANS SONNET WRITTEN IN DISGUST OF VULGAR SUPERSTITION by JOHN KEATS AULD ROBIN GRAY by ANNE LINDSAY SARGENT'S PORTRAIT OF EDWIN BOOTH AT THE PLAYERS by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |