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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PROVINCIA DESERTA, by EZRA POUND Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: At rochecoart Last Line: I have thought of them living. Subject(s): France | |||
At Rochecoart, Where the hills part in three ways, And three valleys, full of winding roads, Fork out to south and north, There is a place of trees . . . gray with lichen. I have walked there thinking of old days. At Chalais is a pleached arbour; Old pensioners and old protected women Have the right there -- it is charity. I have crept over old rafters, peering down Over the Dronne, over a stream full of lilies. Eastward the road lies, Aubeterre is eastward, With a garrulous old man at the inn. I know the roads in that place; Mareuil to the north-east, La Tour, There are three keeps near Mareuil, And an old woman, glad to hear Arnaut, Glad to lend one dry clothing. I have walked into Perigord, I have seen the torch-flames, high-leaping, Painting the front of that church; Heard, under the dark, whirling laughter. I have looked back over the stream and seen the high building, Seen the long minarets, the white shafts. I have gone in Ribeyrac and in Sarlat, I have climbed rickety stairs, heard talk of Croy, Walked over En Bertran's old layout, Have seen Narbonne, and Cahors and Chalus, Have seen Excideuil, carefully fashioned. I have said: "Here such a one walked. Here Coeur-de-Lion was slain. Here was good singing. Here one man hastened his step. Here one lay panting. I have looked south from Hautefort, thinking of Montaignac, southward. I have lain in Rocafixada, level with sunset, Have seen the copper come down tingeing the mountains, I have seen the fields, pale, clear as an emerald, Sharp peaks, high spurs, distant castles. I have said: "The old roads have lain here. Men have gone by such and such valleys Where the great halls were closer together." I have seen Foix on its rock, seen Toulouse, and Arles greatly altered I have seen the ruined "Dorata." I have said: "Riquier! Guido." I have thought of the second Troy, Some little prized place in Auvergnat: Two men tossing a coin, one keeping a castle, One set on the highway to sing. He sang a woman. Auvergne rose to the song; The Dauphin backed him. "The castle to Austors!" "Pieire kept the singing -- A fair man and a pleasant." He won the lady, Stole her away for himself, kept her against armed force: So ends that story. That age is gone; Pieire de Maensac is gone. I have walked over these roads; I have thought of them living. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WHITE PEACOCK by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET ALMANACH DU PRINTEMPS VIVAROIS by HAYDEN CARRUTH LETTER TO YOUKI by ROBERT DESNOS ELEGIES FOR THE OCHER DEER ON THE WALLS AT LASCAUX by NORMAN DUBIE LE PERE-LACHAISE by CAROL ANN DUFFY ON TALK OF PEACE AT THIS TIME by ROBERT FROST TO GALLANT FRANCE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON |
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