In winter in my room
1670 - In winter in my room
In Winter in my Room
I came upon a Worm —
Pink, lank and warm —
But as he was a worm
And worms presume
Not quite with him at home —
Secured him by a string
To something neighboring
And went along.
A Trifle afterward
A thing occurred
I'd not believe it if I heard
But state with creeping blood —
A snake with mottles rare
Surveyed my chamber floor
In feature as the worm before
But ringed with power —
The very string with which
I tied him — too
When he was mean and new
That string was there —
I shrank — "How fair you are"!
Propitiation's claw —
"Afraid," he hissed
"Of me"?
"No cordiality" —
He fathomed me —
Then to a Rhythm Slim
Secreted in his Form
As Patterns swim
Projected him.
That time I flew
Both eyes his way
Lest he pursue
Nor ever ceased to run
Till in a distant Town
Towns on from mine
I set me down
This was a dream.
‘In Winter in My Room’ is set in winter, at a time of emotional barrenness and isolation. finds in her room a harmless worm
Worm = lover, tied by a string, idea of being restricted by someone.
Worm becomes a snake = it grew (sexual connotation, phallic?)
-- Ties of marriage, person has transformed. ‘sin’
“How fair you are” = flattery, appeasing the snake, attempting to.
Disgust & admiration, also submission = sexual act l.24-31
Snake = snake of Eden? Evil, sly, cruel? Symbolic?
-- Finds a harmless worm in her room; stands for male companion.
Cautious, decides to keep it tied with a string.
But the worm ø remain contained, and when she returns, she encounters a powerful snake that threatens her.
She shrinks in fear and attempts to appease it:”How fair you are! /
Propitiation claw”; desires and advances. His advances please and attract her. His rising sexual desire parallels the coiling rhythm of a snake about to attack. Fascinated, yet terrified, she wavers momentarily for she cannot shake her own deep-seated fears of masculine aggression.
He, who was
In Winter in my Room
I came upon a Worm —
Pink, lank and warm —
But as he was a worm
And worms presume
Not quite with him at home —
Secured him by a string
To something neighboring
And went along.
A Trifle afterward
A thing occurred
I'd not believe it if I heard
But state with creeping blood —
A snake with mottles rare
Surveyed my chamber floor
In feature as the worm before
But ringed with power —
The very string with which
I tied him — too
When he was mean and new
That string was there —
I shrank — "How fair you are"!
Propitiation's claw —
"Afraid," he hissed
"Of me"?
"No cordiality" —
He fathomed me —
Then to a Rhythm Slim
Secreted in his Form
As Patterns swim
Projected him.
That time I flew
Both eyes his way
Lest he pursue
Nor ever ceased to run
Till in a distant Town
Towns on from mine
I set me down
This was a dream.
‘In Winter in My Room’ is set in winter, at a time of emotional barrenness and isolation. finds in her room a harmless worm
Worm = lover, tied by a string, idea of being restricted by someone.
Worm becomes a snake = it grew (sexual connotation, phallic?)
-- Ties of marriage, person has transformed. ‘sin’
“How fair you are” = flattery, appeasing the snake, attempting to.
Disgust & admiration, also submission = sexual act l.24-31
Snake = snake of Eden? Evil, sly, cruel? Symbolic?
-- Finds a harmless worm in her room; stands for male companion.
Cautious, decides to keep it tied with a string.
But the worm ø remain contained, and when she returns, she encounters a powerful snake that threatens her.
She shrinks in fear and attempts to appease it:”How fair you are! /
Propitiation claw”; desires and advances. His advances please and attract her. His rising sexual desire parallels the coiling rhythm of a snake about to attack. Fascinated, yet terrified, she wavers momentarily for she cannot shake her own deep-seated fears of masculine aggression.
He, who was