Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

The Unbeliever

He sleeps on the top of a mast. - BunyanHe sleeps on the top of a mastwith his eyes fast closed.The sails fall away below himlike the sheets of his..

© Elizabeth Bishop

The Shampoo

The still explosions on the rocks,the lichens, growby spreading, gray, concentric shocks.They have arrangedto meet the rings around the moon..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Seascape

This celestial seascape, with white herons got up as angels,flying high as they want and as far as they want sidewisein tiers and tiers of immaculate..

© Elizabeth Bishop

The Imaginary Iceberg

We'd rather have the iceberg than the ship,although it meant the end of travel.Although it stood stock-still like cloudy rockand all the sea were..

© Elizabeth Bishop

The Bight

At low tide like this how sheer the water is.White, crumbling ribs of marl protrude and glareand the boats are dry, the pilings dry as..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Sandpiper

The roaring alongside he takes for granted,and that every so often the world is bound to shake.He runs, he runs to the south, finical, awkward,in a..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Lullaby For The Cat

Minnow, go to sleep and dream,Close your great big eyes;Round your bed Events prepareThe pleasantest surprise.Darling Minnow, drop that frown,Just..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Casabianca

Love's the boy stood on the burning decktrying to recite `The boy stood onthe burning deck.' Love's the sonstood stammering elocutionwhile the..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Manners

For a Child of 1918My grandfather said to meas we sat on the wagon seat,"Be sure to remember to alwaysspeak to everyone you meet."We met a stranger..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Letter To N.Y.

For Louise CraneIn your next letter I wish you'd saywhere you are going and what you are doing;how are the plays and after the playswhat other..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Large Bad Picture

Remembering the Strait of Belle Isle orsome northerly harbor of Labrador,before he became a schoolteachera great-uncle painted a big picture.Receding..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Little Exercise

For Thomas Edwards WanningThink of the storm roaming the sky uneasilylike a dog looking for a place to sleep in,listen to it growling.Think how they..

© Elizabeth Bishop

The Map

Land lies in water; it is shadowed green.Shadows, or are they shallows, at its edgesshowing the line of long sea-weeded ledgeswhere weeds hang to the..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Song For The Rainy Season

Hidden, oh hiddenin the high fogthe house we live in,beneath the magnetic rock,rain-, rainbow-ridden,where blood-blackbromelias, lichens,owls, and..

© Elizabeth Bishop

To Be Written On The Mirror In Whitewash

I live only here, between your eyes and you,But I live in your world. What do I do?--Collect no interest--otherwise what I can;Above all I am not..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Cirque D'Hiver

Across the floor flits the mechanical toy,fit for a king of several centuries back.A little circus horse with real white hair.His eyes are glossy..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Giant Toad

I am too big. Too big by far. Pity me.My eyes bulge and hurt. They are my one great beauty, evenso. They see too much, above, below. And yet, there..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Lines Written In The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

[Given to Frank Bidart]You won't become a gourmet* cookBy studying our Fannie's book--Her thoughts on Food & Keeping HouseAre scarcely those of..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Questions Of Travel

There are too many waterfalls here; the crowded streamshurry too rapidly down to the sea,and the pressure of so many clouds on the mountaintopsmakes..

© Elizabeth Bishop

The Moose

For Grace Bulmer BowersFrom narrow provincesof fish and bread and tea,home of the long tideswhere the bay leaves the seatwice a day and takesthe..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Arrival At Santos

Here is a coast; here is a harbor;here, after a meager diet of horizon, is some scenery:impractically shaped and--who knows?--self-pitying..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Argument

Days that cannot bring you nearor will not,Distance trying to appearsomething more obstinate,argue argue argue with meendlesslyneither proving you..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Exchanging Hats

Unfunny uncles who insistin trying on a lady's hat,--oh, even if the joke falls flat,we share your slight transvestite twistin spite of our..

© Elizabeth Bishop

A Summer’s Dream

To the sagging wharffew ships could come.The population numberedtwo giants, an idiot, a dwarf,a gentle storekeeperasleep behind his counter,and our..

© Elizabeth Bishop

Conversation

The tumult in the heartkeeps asking questions.And then it stops and undertakes to answerin the same tone of voice.No one could tell the..

© Elizabeth Bishop