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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BEYOND IMPASSE, by CLARENCE MAJOR Poet Analysis Poet's Biography
First Line: I climb the steps to my room
First Line: I climb the steps to my room
I climb the steps to my room.
Thinking of my bed, I unlock the door,
though I meant to do something else.
A Chinese girl, in purple, is by the window.
She tells me the pictures in her head.
I can barely see her.
An African is a man burning in her memory.
I look out the window.
I try to open the window. It's hot.
Outside, the landscape tries to escape
the trees planted in it. I try again.
The window won't open.
The African is now making love to the Chinese girl.
Is this a dream?
Is she dreaming this or am I?
Now, the Chinese girl says to me,
"Remove the African,
and I will show you how to open the window."
Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA
98368-0271, www.cc.press.org
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