I I Among twenty snowy mountains Among twenty snowy mountains, The only moving thing The only moving thing Was the eye of the blackbird. Was the eye of the blackbird. II I was of three minds II Like a tree I was of three minds, In which there are three blackbirds. Like a tree III In which there are three blackbirds. The blackbird whirled in the autumn wind It was a small part of the pantomime. III IV The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds. A man and a woman It was a small part of the pantomime. Are one. A man and a woman and a blackbird IV Are one. A man and a woman V Are one. I do not know which to prefer-- A man and a woman and a blackbird The beauty of inflexions Are one. Or the beauty of innuendos, The blackbird whistling V Or just after. I do not know which to prefer, VI The beauty of inflections Icicles filled the window Or the beauty of innuendoes, With barbaric glass. The blackbird whistling The shadow of the blackbird Or just after. Crossed it, to and fro. The mood VI Traced in the shadow Icicles filled the long window An indecipherable cause. With barbaric glass. VII The shadow of the blackbird O thin men of Haddam, Crossed it, to and fro. Why do you imagine golden birds? The mood Do you not see how the blackbird Traced in the shadow Walks around the feet An indecipherable cause. Of the women about you? VIII VII I know noble accents O thin men of Haddam, And lucid, inescapable rhythms; Why do you imagine golden birds? But I know, too, Do you not see how the blackbird That the blackbird is involved Walks around the feet In what I know. Of the women about you? IX When the blackbird flew out of sight, VIII It marked the edge I know noble accents Of one of many circles. And lucid, inescapable rhythms; X But I know, too, At the sight of blackbirds That the blackbird is involved Flying in a green light In what I know. Even the bawds of euphony Would cry out sharply. IX XI When the blackbird flew out of sight, He rode over Connecticut It marked the edge In a glass coach. Of one of many circles. Once, a fear pierced him, In that he mistook X The shadow of his equipage At the sight of blackbirds for blackbirds. Flying in a green light, XII Even the bawds of euphony The river is moving. Would cry out sharply. The blackbird must be flying. XIII XI It was evening all afternoon. He rode over Connecticut It was snowing In a glass coach. And it was going to snow. Once, a fear pierced him, The blackbird sat In that he mistook In the cedar-limbs. The shadow of his equipage For blackbirds. XII The river is moving. The blackbird must be flying. XIII It was evening all afternoon. It was snowing And it was going to snow. The blackbird sat In the cedar-limbs. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LILAC: FIRST EMOTIONS OF LOVE by ROBERT BURNS TOM DEADLIGHT by HERMAN MELVILLE THE QUIET PILGRIM by EDITH MATILDA THOMAS THE REPLY OF Q. HORATIUS FLACCUS TO A ROMAN 'ROUND-ROBIN' by ALFRED AUSTIN THE SHEPHERD'S CONTENT by RICHARD BARNFIELD TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 3. A SONG OF ONE IN OLD AGE by EDWARD CARPENTER |