Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast - A poem by John Berryman

John Berryman - Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast

Acacia, burnt myrrh, velvet, pricky stings.
—I'm not so young but not so very old,
said screwed-up lovely 23.
A final sense of being right out in the cold,
unkissed.
(—My psychiatrist can lick your psychiatrist.) Women get under 
  things.

All these old criminals sooner or later
have had it. I've been reading old journals.
Gottwald & Co., out of business now.
Thick chests quit. Double agent, Joe.
She holds her breath like a seal
and is whiter & smoother.

Rilke was a jerk.
I admit his griefs & music
& titled spelled all-disappointed ladies.
A threshold worse than the circles
where the vile settle & lurk,
Rilke's. As I said,—

Added: on July 6th, 2005 at 11:50 PM | Viewed: 1725 times | Comments and analysis of Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast by John Berryman Comments (3)

Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast - Comments and Information
Poet: John Berryman Poem: 3. Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast Volume: 77 Dream Songs Year: Published/Written in 1964 Poem of the Day: Jun 26 2005 Comment 3 of 3, added on June 3rd, 2007 at 3:46 PM. It's not free association (or at least not anymore than the other Dream Songs are). It is very clearly about infidelities with a younger person (a student, perhaps). Guilt tinged with images of excitement and eroticism. Rilke was a jerk in that he was a manipulator, a womanizer, a terrible excuse for a friend who abandoned supportive lovers for benefactors, and an overall smarmy, phony guy who many literary giants of the time absolutely could not stand. (Beautiful poetry, though). See Robert Freedman's biography Life of A Poet. Cswart Comment 2 of 3, added on January 12th, 2007 at 3:19 PM. I don't enjoy this poem but I will say that it has great meaning. Lauren from Armenia Comment 1 of 3, added on July 6th, 2005 at 11:50 PM. Frankly, this poem has me scratching my head. It does lend itself to free association... Christine Strevinsky from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast, has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by John Berryman with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: John Berryman Poem: 3. Dream Song 3: A Stimulant for an Old Beast Volume: 77 Dream Songs Year: Published/Written in 1964 Last read: Jul 19 2008, 10:24PM Poem of the Day: Jun 26 2005 Viewed 1725 times. Added on July 6th, 2005 at 11:50 PM.

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