Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PRIMORDIA IN THE SOUTH, by WALLACE STEVENS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PRIMORDIA IN THE SOUTH, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Unctuous furrows / the ploughman portrays in you
Subject(s): Southern States; South (u.s.)


Unctuous furrows,
Unctuous furrows,
The ploughman portrays in you
The ploughman portrays in you
The spring about him:
The spring about him:
Compilation of the effects
Compilation of the effects
Of magenta blooming in the Judas-tree
Of magenta blooming in the Judas-tree
And of purple blooming in the eucalyptus-
And of purple blooming in the eucalyptus-
Map of yesterday's earth
Map of yesterday's earth
And of to-morrow's heaven.
And of to-morrow's heaven.
The lilacs wither in the Carolinas.
The lilacs wither in the Carolinas.
Already the butterflies flutter above the cabins.
Already the butterflies flutter above the cabins.
Already the new-born children interpret love
Already the new-born children interpret love
In the voices of mothers.
In the voices of mothers.
Timeless mother,
Timeless mother,
How is it that your aspic nipples
How is it that your aspic nipples
For once vent honey?
For once vent honey?
The pine-tree sweeten: my body.
The pine-tree sweeten: my body.
The white iris beautifies me.
The white iris beautifies me.
The black mother of eleven children
The black mother of eleven children
Hangs her quilt under the pine-trees.
Hangs her quilt under the pine-trees.
There is a connection between the colors,
There is a connection between the colors,
The shapes of the patches,
The shapes of the patches,
And the eleven children . . .
And the eleven children . . .
Frail princes of distant Monaco,
Frail princes of distant Monaco,
That paragon of a parasol
That paragon of a parasol
Discloses
Discloses
At least one baby in you.
At least one baby in you.
The trade-wind jingles the rings in the nets around the racks by the docks on
The trade-wind jingles the rings in the nets around the racks by the docks on
Indian River.
Indian River.
It is the same jingle of the water among the roots under the banks of the
It is the same jingle of the water among the roots under the banks of the
palmettoes,
palmettoes,
It is the same jingle of the red-bird breasting the orange-trees out of the
It is the same jingle of the red-bird breasting the orange-trees out of the
cedars.
cedars.
Yet there is no spring in Florida, neither in boskage perdu, nor on the nunnery
Yet there is no spring in Florida, neither in boskage perdu, nor on the nunnery
beaches.
beaches.






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