Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, O FLORIDA, VENEREAL SOIL, by WALLACE STEVENS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

O FLORIDA, VENEREAL SOIL, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: A few things for themselves
Subject(s): Florida


A few things for themselves.
A few things for themselves,
Convolvulus and coral.
Convolvulus and coral,
Buzzards and live-moss,
Buzzards and live-moss,
Tiestas from the keys,
Tiestas from the keys,
A few things for themselves,
A few things for themselves,
Florida, venereal soil,
Florida, venereal soil,
Disclose to the lover.
Disclose to the lover.
The dreadful sundry of this world.
The dreadful sundry of this world,
The Cuban, Polodowsky,
The Cuban, Polodowsky,
The Mexican women,
The Mexican women,
The negro undertaker
The negro undertaker
Killing the time between corpses
Killing the time between corpses
Fishing for crayfish . . .
Fishing for crawfish . . .
Virgin of boorish births.
Virgin of boorish births,
Swiftly in the nights.
Swiftly in the nights,
In the porches of Key West,
In the porches of Key West,
Behind the bougainvilleas.
Behind the bougainvilleas,
After the guitar is asleep,
After the guitar is asleep,
Lasciviously as the wind.
Lasciviously as the wind,
You come tormenting,
You come tormenting,
Insatiable,
Insatiable,
When you might sit,
When you might sit,
A scholar of darkness.
A scholar of darkness,
Sequestered over the sea.
Sequestered over the sea,
Wearing a clear tiara
Wearing a clear tiara
Of red and blue and red.
Of red and blue and red,
Sparkling, solitary, still.
Sparkling, solitary, still,
In the high sea-shadow.
In the high sea-shadow.
Donna, donna, dark.
Donna, donna, dark,
Stooping in indigo gown
Stooping in indigo gown
And cloudy constellations.
And cloudy constellations,
Conceal yourself or disclose
Conceal yourself or disclose
Fewest things to the lover-
Fewest things to the lover-
A hand that bears a thick-leaved fruit,
A hand that bears a thick-leaved fruit,
A pungent bloom against your shade.
A pungent bloom against your shade.






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