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November 21st, 2009 - we have 234 poets, 8,023 poems and 17,904 comments.
Ezra Pound - Dance Figure

For the Marriage in Cana of Galilee

Dark-eyed, 
O woman of my dreams, 
Ivory sandalled, 
There is none like thee among the dancers, 
None with swift feet.
I have not found thee in the tents, 
In the broken darkness.
I have not found thee at the well-head
Among the women with pitchers.
Thine arms are as a young sapling under the bark; 
Thy face as a river with lights.

White as an almond are thy shoulders; 
As new almonds stripped from the husk.
They guard thee not with eunuchs; 
Not with bars of copper.

Gilt turquoise and silver are in the place of thy rest.
A brown robe, with threads of gold woven in
patterns, hast thou gathered about thee, 
O Nathat-Ikanaie, 'Tree-at-the-river'.

As a rillet among the sedge are thy hands upon me; 
Thy fingers a frosted stream.

Thy maidens are white like pebbles; 
Their music about thee! 

There is none like thee among the dancers; 
None with swift feet.

Added: on June 4th, 2007 at 12:12 AM | Viewed: 7050 times | Comments and analysis of Dance Figure by Ezra Pound Comments (3)


Dance Figure - Comments and Information

Poet: Ezra Pound (Ezra Pound Art)
Poem: Dance Figure

Comment 3 of 3, added on September 10th, 2009 at 7:43 PM.

Dark-eyed,
O woman of my dreams,
Ivory sandalled,
There is none like thee among the dancers,
None with swift feet.

It is interesting that Pound starts talking about his beloved (or about the woman he admires) by describing her eyes-"dark-eyed" This instantly makes the woman's image mysterious, attracting the readers (at least it worked for me this way) I got fascinated by the dancer, especially because she is, according to the poet, UNIQUE ("There is none like thee among the dancers, None with swift feet")

The poet also shows his admiration and respect elegantly using archaic pronouns (thee, thy),which used to serve for intimate correspondence, showing respect, and religious purposes (addressing Jesus or God, for example)

An outstanding metaphor ("river with lights" for a face) is indeed a product of a beautiful mind - just imagine a river full of sparkling lights/starts during the night, or sun reflections during the day!!! Playful and short-lasting, these lights shows us how amazing life is, how joyful (and it is the dancer's face, do not forget!) CARPE DIEM!

Apparently, when this woman touches the speaker, the exitement and euphoria she brings him, makes him feel cold, or at least pleasantly cool...

To sum up, this poem is a great poem of admiration addressed to a woman the poet is probably observing in the very moment of writing about her...Though composed in a tone and colour close to Renaissance love sonnets, this poem is more intimate, more innocent, honest, and (important) not at all artificial. Pound saved the work from being pretentious, but rather left "the woman of my [his] dream" dance...


Granada Flores
Comment 2 of 3, added on May 8th, 2009 at 2:44 PM.

The poem Dance Figure by: Ezra Pound is a good poem! It makes me think about love. Love is a number of emotions and experience is relating to a strong scent of affection. In the poem, it is talking about how there it a women that he is attracted too. She is a dancer I can tell that because he thinks she is dancing and has swift feet. It talks a lot about dancing and music. He loves the way she dances to the music! He is in love like he can’t stop doing stuff that would embarrass him in front of her

Courtney R from United States
Comment 1 of 3, added on June 4th, 2007 at 12:12 AM.

It's a great one.

far from China

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