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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ENFLEURAGE, by JANE MILLER Poet's Biography
First Line: As from a water lily, periplum
Last Line: Unconsciously - and, white birds casting a dark shadow, fly out of themselves.
Subject(s): Cities; Urban Life
First Line: As from a water lily, periplum
Last Line: Unconsciously - and, white birds casting a dark shadow, fly out of themselves.
Subject(s): Cities; Urban Life
As from a water lily, periplum,
not as land looks on a map
but as sea bord seen by men sailing
successive ferries, my toy boats, leaf, song, heart. Or again, I step into a
street and, commensurate with its width its bazaar breaks into range, wares,
voices, steam float distinctly in unequal units closer. A blur of relations and
then synchromesh: rachet, whistle, bulk, cold, scallion bitter, fish heads, city
dock. Out of the midst of the city the country, forested one by one into many,
alert like the tops of trees with inexact news about an imminent arrival; I tilt
until it becomes time and there she is, most beautiful come upon from behind,
where she is waiting for a moment, discouraged her message never arrived. And
as she turns, her sunglasses glint and she brushes back her braid where her hair
was loose before, and since; there is no one of them that does not see her,
unconsciously - and, white birds casting a dark shadow, fly out of themselves.
Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!
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