Poetry Archives

The swan existing
Is like a song with an accompaniment
Imaginary.

Across the grassy lake,
Across the lake to the shadow of the willows,
It is accompanied by an image,
—as by Debussy’s
“Reflets dans l’eau”.

The swan that is
Reflects
Upon the solitary water—breast to breast
With the duplicity:
“The other one!”

And breast to breast it is confused.
O visionary wedding!  O stateliness of the procession!
It is accompanied by the image of itself
Alone.

At night
The lake is a wide silence,
Without imagination.