Poem of the Week: Edith Sitwell's "Came the Great Popinjay"

More from the forthcoming Collected Poems of Edith Sitwell. Enjoy! Hooray for poetry!--Jim












Came the Great Popinjay

Came the great Popinjay
Smelling his nosegay :
In cages like grots
The birds sang gavottes.
' Heordiade's flea
Was named sweet Amada,
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.