Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WHAT THEY ASK, by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Always they greet you and say Last Line: "and what have you been doing?" Alternate Author Name(s): F. P. A. Subject(s): Dreams; Thought; Nightmares; Thinking | ||||||||
ALWAYS they greet you and say, "And what have you been doing?" They do not ask What you have thought, How you wonder, naïvely grave, In the rich silences of your soul; Through what white flames you have passed, Scathed clean, feeling your loves and your hates; Nor of the dreams you have dreamed, All purple and gold and the glory of gray cloud heights. But they always ask What you have done And they know a thing or two. FRANCES. It's like this, Frances: Time was when girls and I were well acquainted And I would ask them: "And what have you been thinking? Through what candescent flames have you been passing? And whatomitting their interpretationhave been your dreams?" And they would tell me. So now I say: "And what have you been doing?" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MILLE ET UN SENTIMENTS (PREMIERS CENTS) by DENISE DUHAMEL SUNDAY AFTERNOON by CLARENCE MAJOR I BROOD ABOUT SOME CONCEPTS, FOR EXAMPLE by ALICIA SUSKIN OSTRIKER EASY LESSONS IN GEOPHAGY by KENNETH REXROTH GENTLEMEN, I ADDRESS YOU PUBLICLY by KENNETH REXROTH ON FLOWER WREATH HILL: 1 by KENNETH REXROTH LINES FROM A PLUTOCRATIC POETASTER TO A DITCH-DIGGER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS |
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