The Ampersand

Richard Wilbur, “&”

From The Beautiful Changes and Other Poems (1947):

A slopeshouldered shape from scurrying burdens
Backward and forth, or perhaps a lyre
Or a clef wrung wry in tuning untunable tones
Or a knot for tugging an out-of-hand.

Vine to the trellis in clerical gardens:
Sweetness & light, ice & fire,
Nature & art have dissocketed all your bones,
Porter, poor pander ampersand.


Categorised as: writing about ampersands


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