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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PORTRAIT OF A BOY, by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: After the whipping, he crawled into bed Last Line: "doubloons!"" they said. The words crashed gold. ""doubloons!" Subject(s): Boys | |||
After the whipping he crawled into bed, Accepting the harsh fact with no great weeping. How funny uncle's hat had looked striped red! He chuckled silently. The moon came, sweeping A black, frayed rag of tattered cloud before In scorning; very pure and pale she seemed, Flooding his bed with radiance. On the floor Fat motes danced. He sobbed, closed his eyes and dreamed. Warm sand flowed round him. Blurts of crimson light Splashed the white grains like blood. Past the cave's mouth Shone with a large, fierce splendor, wildly bright, The crooked constellations of the South; Here the Cross swung; and there, affronting Mars, The Centaur stormed aside a froth of stars. Within, great casks, like wattled aldermen, Sighed of enormous feasts, and cloth of gold Glowed on the walls like hot desire. Again, Beside webbed purples from some galleon's hold, A black chest bore the skull and bones in white Above a scrawled "Gunpowder!" By the flames, Decked out in crimson, gemmed with syenite, Hailing their fellows with outrageous names, The pirates sat and diced. Their eyes were moons. "Doubloons!" they said. The words crashed gold. "Doubloons!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THOSE BOYS THAT RAN TOGETHER by LUCILLE CLIFTON THE WHITE BOY by LUCILLE CLIFTON COZY APOLOGIA; FOR FRED by RITA DOVE REVELATION 20:11-15 by NORMAN DUBIE BOY'S SLEEP by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE ONE BOY TOLD ME by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE A MINOR POET by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET ARCHIMEDES LAST FORAY by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET CAMPUS SONNET: BEFORE AN EXAMINATION by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET |
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