The Man-moth Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGH IJKLMNOP QRSTBUVW XXXYZA2B2X C2XNVOXD2X RE2XXXOF2G2

nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Here aboveA
cracks in the buldings are filled with battered moonlightB
The whole shadow of Man is only as big as his hatC
It lies at his feet like a circle for a doll to stand onD
and he makes an inverted pin the point magnetized to the moonE
He does not see the moon he observes only her vast propertiesF
feeling the queer light on his hands neither warm nor coldG
of a temperature impossible to records in thermometersH
-
nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp But when the Man MothI
pays his rare although occasional visits to the surfaceJ
the moon looks rather different to him He emergesK
from an opening under the edge of one of the sidewalksL
and nervously begins to scale the faces of the buildingsM
He thinks the moon is a small hole at the top of the skyN
proving the sky quite useless for protectionO
He trembles but must investigate as high as he can climbP
-
nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Up the fa adesQ
his shadow dragging like a photographer's cloth behind himR
he climbs fearfully thinking that this time he will manageS
to push his small head through that round clean openingT
and be forced through as from a tube in black scrolls on the lightB
Man standing below him has no such illusionsU
But what the Man Moth fears most he must do althoughV
he fails of course and falls back scared but quite unhurtW
-
nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Then he returnsX
to the pale subways of cement he calls his home He flitsX
he flutters and cannot get aboard the silent trainsX
fast enough to suit him The doors close swiftlyY
The Man Moth always seats himself facing the wrong wayZ
and the train starts at once at its full terrible speedA2
without a shift in gears or a gradation of any sortB2
He cannot tell the rate at which he travels backwardsX
-
nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Each night he mustC2
be carried through artificial tunnels and dream recurrent dreamsX
Just as the ties recur beneath his train these underlieN
his rushing brain He does not dare look out the windowV
for the third rail the unbroken draught of poisonO
runs there beside him He regards it as a diseaseX
he has inherited the susceptibility to He has to keepD2
his hands in his pockets as others must wear mufflersX
-
nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp If you catch himR
hold up a flashlight to his eye It's all dark pupilE2
an entire night itself whose haired horizon tightensX
as he stares back and closes up the eye Then from the lidsX
one tear his only possession like the bee's sting slipsX
Slyly he palms it and if you're not paying attentionO
he'll swallow it However if you watch he'll hand it overF2
cool as from underground springs and pure enough to drinkG2

Elizabeth Bishop



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about The Man-moth poem by Elizabeth Bishop


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 27 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets