Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SPANISH DANCER, by RAINER MARIA RILKE Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: As in the hand, a wooden match turns white Last Line: And stamps it out with small determined feet | ||||||||
As in one's hand a lighted match blinds you before it comes aflame and sends out brilliant flickering tongues to every side -- so, within the ring of the spectators, her dance begins in hasty, heated rhythms and spreads itself darting flames around. And suddenly the dance is altogether flame! With a fierce glance she sets her hair alight. Unexpectedly she turns with daring artfulness the swirling flounces of her dress within this conflagaration, out of which her upheld naked arms, clapping the castanets, appear like serpents striking. And then, afraid her fire were diminishing, she gathers it all up and flings it down with an imperious haughtly gesture, and watches as it lies there writhing on the ground, unyielding and unwilling to concede the dance has ended. Yet she show victory in her sweet swift smile as she lifts up her face, while with her small firm feet she stamps out the last of the dying embers. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AUTUMN DAY by RAINER MARIA RILKE MAIDEN MELANCHOLY by RAINER MARIA RILKE THE LAST SUPPER by RAINER MARIA RILKE TWO POEMS TO HANS THOMA ON HIS SIXIETH BIRTHDAY: 1. MOONLIGHT NIGHT by RAINER MARIA RILKE TWO POEMS TO HANS THOMA ON HIS SIXIETH BIRTHDAY: 2. THE KNIGHT by RAINER MARIA RILKE BE NOT AFRAID, GOD by RAINER MARIA RILKE BLUE HYDRANGEAS by RAINER MARIA RILKE GLIMPSE OF A CHILDHOOD by RAINER MARIA RILKE GROWING BLIND by RAINER MARIA RILKE |
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