Dream Song 55: Peter’s not friendly. He gives me sideways looks

Peter’s not friendly. He gives me sideways looks.
The architecture is far from reassuring.
I feel uneasy.
A pity,—the interview began so well:
I mentioned fiendish things, he waved them away
and sloshed out a martini

strangely needed. We spoke of indifferent matters—
God’s health, the vague hell of the Congo,
John’s energy,
anti-matter matter. I felt fine.
Then a change came backward. A chill fell.
Talk slackened,

died, and began to give me sideways looks.
‘Chirst,’ I thought ‘what now?’ and would have askt for another
but didn’t dare.
I feel my application failing. It’s growing dark,
some other sound is overcoming. His last words are:
‘We betrayed me.’

Analysis, meaning and summary of John Berryman's poem Dream Song 55: Peter’s not friendly. He gives me sideways looks

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