Frank O'hara

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Sleeping On The Wing Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGH IJKDLMNOAF PQRQEOSTQUVWQT

Perhaps it is to avoid some great sadnessA
as in a Restoration tragedy the hero cries 'SleepB
O for a long sound sleep and so forget it 'C
that one flies soaring above the shoreless cityD
veering upward from the pavement as a pigeonE
does when a car honks or a door slams the doorF
of dreams life perpetuated in parti colored lovesG
and beautiful lies all in different languagesH
-
Fear drops away too like the cement and youI
are over the Atlantic Where is Spain where isJ
who The Civil War was fought to free the slavesK
was it A sudden down draught reminds you of gravityD
and your position in respect to human love ButL
here is where the gods are speculating bemusedM
Once you are helpless you are free can you believeN
that Never to waken to the sad struggle of a faceO
to travel always over some impersonal vastnessA
to be out of forever neither in nor forF
-
The eyes roll asleep as if turned by the windP
and the lids flutter open slightly like a wingQ
The world is an iceberg so much is invisibleR
and was and is and yet the form it may be sleepingQ
too Those features etched in the ice of someoneE
loved who died you are a sculptor dreaming of spaceO
and speed your hand alone could have done thisS
Curiosity the passionate hand of desire DeadT
or sleeping Is there speed enough And swoopingQ
you relinquish all that you have made your ownU
the kingdom of your self sailing for you must awakeV
and breathe your warmth in this beloved imageW
whether it's dead or merely disappearingQ
as space is disappearing and your singularityT

Frank O'hara



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