Came The Great Popinjay

Dame Edith Sitwell

Came the great Popinjay
Smelling his nosegay:
In cages like grots
The birds sang gavottes.
‘Herodiade’s flea
Was named sweet Amanda,
She danced like a lady
From here to Uganda.
Oh, what a dance was there!
Long-haired, the candle
Salome-like tossed her hair
To a dance tune by Handel.’ . . .
Dance they still?  Then came
Courtier Death,
Blew out the candle flame
With civet breath.

Next 10 Poems

• Dame Edith Sitwell : Clowns' Houses
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Four In The Morning
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Interlude
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Still Falls The Rain
• Dame Edith Sitwell : The Fan
• Dame Edith Sitwell : The Web Of Eros
• Dame Edith Sitwell : When Cold December
• Christopher Smart : A Song To David
• Christopher Smart : A Song To David ( Excerpt )
• Christopher Smart : Epistle To Mrs. Tyler

Previous 10 Poems

• Dame Edith Sitwell : By The Lake
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Bells Of Gray Crystal
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Aubade
• Dame Edith Sitwell : Answers
• Sir Philip Sidney : You Gote-heard Gods
• Sir Philip Sidney : Wooing-stuff
• Sir Philip Sidney : When Love Puffed Up With Rage Of High Disdain
• Sir Philip Sidney : Voices At The Window
• Sir Philip Sidney : Virtue, Beauty, And Speech, Did Strike, Wound, Charm
• Sir Philip Sidney : Verses ( No, No, No, No )