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“Dream Song 176” by John Berryman 🇺🇸 (25 Oct 1914 – 7 Jan 1972)
All that hair flashing over the Atlantic,
Henry’s girl’s gone. She’ll find Paris a sweet place
as many times he did.
She’s there now, having left yesterday. I held
her cousin’s hand, all innocence, on the climb to the tower.
Her cousin is if possible more beautiful than she is.
All over the world grades are being turned in,
and isn’t that a truly gloomy thought.
It’s June, God help us, when the sight we fought
clears. One day when I take my sock
off the skin will come with it
and I’ll run blood, horrible on the floor
the streaming blood reminds me of my love.
Wolves run in & out
take wolves, but terrible enough
I am dreaming of my love’s hair & all her front teeth are false
as were my anti-hopes.