9.17.2012

carried far

The poet’s speech begins     a great way off.
The poet is     carried far away by speech

—Marina Tsvetayeva, opening of “The Poet,” Selected Poems of Marina Tsvetayeva (E.P. Dutton, 1989), translated by Elaine Feinstein

1 comment:

Conrad DiDiodato said...

I like this "great way off" in a poem. The nearer to sense (I find), the more vulgar and mainstream.