Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


PIANO BURIAL by EDA LOU WALTON

First Line: EMPTY THE GARDEN WHERE I PLAYED YOUR SINGING
Last Line: MOUNTAINS-SIDES OF ASPEN.
Subject(s): DECAY; FLOWERS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; PIANOS; ROT; DECADENCE;

Empty the garden where I played your singing,
Empty the garden now become a graveyard,
Deep in the earth strings rust and ivory ages,
Into the soul of music worms have eaten.
Over the keyboard I have planted iris,
Into the body I have sunk a pool.
Here are all echoes frozen into dancers,
Ecstatic marble elegantly cool.
Circling the garden I have reared a boundary
The Yellow Book and sunflowers,
Kansas and yellow journals,
Honey, butter and yellow-jackets,
Canary cottage, cages and circus-wagons:
Whole worlds of flaming yellow fire --
And oblivion, yellow with the dust of ages!

. . . We drove out miles this afternoon
To see the yellow in the woods:
Mountains-sides of aspen.



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