Harry Crosby Dance Poems
- 1. Zorah
An Arab beats upon a kettle drum,
And tuneless is the wailing of the flutes
As on the sands a slavegirl executes
Her dance of wantonwild delirium;
... - 2. Assassin
I exchange eyes with the Mad Queen.
The mirror crashes against my face and bursts into a thousand suns. all over the city flags cracle and bang. Fog horns scream in the harbor. The wind hurricanes through the window. Tornadoes are unmuzzled as I begin to dance the dance of the Kurd Shepherds.
I stamp upon the floor. I whirl like dervishes. Colors revolve dressing and undressing. I lash them with fury stark white with iron black harsh red with blue marble green with bright orange and only gold remains naked. I roar with joy.
Black-footed ferrets disappear into holes.
... - 3. Fragment
Moon of leaves,
Moon of the falling leaves,
To you I bring the slippers
of the sun.
... - 4. Vision
I exchange eyes with the Mad Queen
the mirror crashes against my face
and bursts into a thousand suns
...
