Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI: 4. THE MOON'S ORCHESTRA, by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER Poet's Biography First Line: When the moon lights up Last Line: Which show, through gaps and tatters, red stains half hidden away. Subject(s): Mississippi River; Rivers | ||||||||
When the moon lights up Its dull red campfire through the trees; And floats out, like a white balloon, Into the blue cup of the night, borne by a casual breeze; The moon-orchestra then begins to stir. Jiggle of fiddles commence their crazy dance in the darkness. Crickets churr Against the stark reiteration of the rusty flutes which frogs Puff at from rotted logs In the swamp. And then the moon begins her dance of frozen pomp Over the lightly quivering floor of the flat and mournful river. Her white feet slightly twist and swirl. She is a mad girl In an old unlit ball room Whose walls, half-guessed at through the gloom, Are hung with the rusty crape of stark black cypress Which show, through gaps and tatters, red stains half hidden away. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...RIVERS INTO SEAS by LYNDA HULL TO A WOMAN GLANCING UP FROM THE RIVER by LARRY LEVIS TWO-RIVER LEDGER by KHALED MATTAWA HE FINDS THE MANSION by JAMES MCMICHAEL THE RIVERS by CLARIBEL ALEGRIA VERMILION FLYCATCHER, SAN PEDRO RIVER, ARIZONA by MARGARET ATWOOD THE PORCH OVER THE RIVER by WENDELL BERRY THE RIVER BRIDGED AND FORGOT by WENDELL BERRY ARIZONA POEMS: 2. MEXICAN QUARTER by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER |
|