John Berryman(1914–1972)
Sonnet 382
At Henry's bier let some thing fall out well:
enter there none who somewhat has to sell,
the music ancient & gradual,
t h e v o i c e s s o l e m n b u t t h e g r i e f s u b d u e d ,
n o h a i r y j o k e s b u t e v e r y b o d y ' s m o o d
s u b d u e d , s u b d u e d ,
until the Dancer comes, in a short short dress
hair black & long & loose, dark dark glasses,
uptilted face,
pallor & strangeness, the music changes
to "Give! & "Ow! and how! the music changes,
she kicks a backward limb
on tiptoe, pirouettes, & she is free
to the knocking music, sails, dips, & suddenly
returns to the terrible gay
occasion hopeless & mad, she weaves, it's hell,
she flings to her head a leg, bobs, all is well,
she dances Henry away.