|
|
Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE CANDLE, by KATHERINE MANSFIELD Poet's Biography First Line: By my bed, on a little round table Last Line: The three dreams started singing a little song. Alternate Author Name(s): Murry, John Middleton, Mrs.; Beauchamp, Kathleen Subject(s): Candles; Night; Bedtime | |||
By my bed, on a little round table The Grandmother placed a candle. She gave me three kisses telling me they were three dreams And tucked me in just where I loved being tucked. Then she went out of the room and the door was shut. I lay still, waiting for my three dreams to talk; But they were silent. Suddenly I remember giving her three kisses back. Perhaps, by mistake, I had given my three little dreams I sat up in bed. The room grew big, oh, bigger far than a church. The wardrobe, quite by itself, as big as a house. And the jug on the washstand smiled at me: It was not a friendly smile. I looked at the basket-chair where my clothes lay folded: The chair gave a creak as though it were listening for something. Perhaps it was coming alive and going to dress in my clothes. But the awful thing was the window: I could not think what was outside. No tree to be seen, I was sure, No nice little plant or friendly pebbly path. Why did she pull the blind down every night? It was better to know. I crunched my teeth and crept out of bed, I peeped through a slit of the blind. There was nothing at all to be seen. But hundreds of friendly candles all over the sky In remembrance of frightened children. I went back to bed... The three dreams started singing a little song. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BREATH OF NIGHT by RANDALL JARRELL HOODED NIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP by ROBINSON JEFFERS WORKING OUTSIDE AT NIGHT by DENIS JOHNSON POEM TO TAKE BACK THE NIGHT by JUNE JORDAN COOL DARK ODE by DONALD JUSTICE POEM TO BE READ AT 3 A.M by DONALD JUSTICE ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT by BOB KAUFMAN A FEW RULES FOR BEGINNERS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD |
| |