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Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Marianne Moore

 

Marianne Moore and mus




 NO SWAN SO FINE


"No water so still as the 

dead fountains of Versailles." No swan, 

with swart blind look askance 
and gondoliering legs, so fine 
as the chinz china one with fawn- 
brown eyes and toothed gold 
collar on to show whose bird it was. 

Lodged in the Louis Fifteenth 
candelabrum-tree of cockscomb-

tinted buttons, dahlias, 
sea-urchins, and everlastings, 
it perches on the branching foam 
of polished sculptured 
flowers--at ease and tall. The king is dead.

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