POEMS BY MARIANNE MOORE
BLACK EARTH
Openly, yes,
with the naturalness
of the hippopotamus or the alligator
when it climbs out on the bank to experience the
with the naturalness
of the hippopotamus or the alligator
when it climbs out on the bank to experience the
sun, I do these
things which I do, which please
no one but myself. Now I breathe and now I am sub
merged; the blemishes stand up and shout when the object
things which I do, which please
no one but myself. Now I breathe and now I am sub
merged; the blemishes stand up and shout when the object
in view was a
renaissance; shall I say
the contrary? The sediment of the river which
encrusts my joints, makes me very gray but I am used
renaissance; shall I say
the contrary? The sediment of the river which
encrusts my joints, makes me very gray but I am used
to it, it may
remain there; do away
with it and I am myself done away with, for the
patina of circumstance can but enrich what was
remain there; do away
with it and I am myself done away with, for the
patina of circumstance can but enrich what was
there to begin
with. This elephant skin
which I inhabit, fibred over like the shell of
the coco-nut, this piece of black glass through which no light
with. This elephant skin
which I inhabit, fibred over like the shell of
the coco-nut, this piece of black glass through which no light
can filter—cut
into checkers by rut
upon rut of unpreventable experience—
it is a manual for the peanut-tongued and the
into checkers by rut
upon rut of unpreventable experience—
it is a manual for the peanut-tongued and the
hairy toed. Black
but beautiful, my back
is full of the history of power. Of power? What
is powerful and what is not? My soul shall never
but beautiful, my back
is full of the history of power. Of power? What
is powerful and what is not? My soul shall never
be cut into
by a wooden spear; through-
out childhood to the present time, the unity of
life and death has been expressed by the circumference
by a wooden spear; through-
out childhood to the present time, the unity of
life and death has been expressed by the circumference
described by my
trunk; nevertheless, I
perceive feats of strength to be inexplicable after
all; and I am on my guard; external poise, it
trunk; nevertheless, I
perceive feats of strength to be inexplicable after
all; and I am on my guard; external poise, it
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