Dance ruse and "Danse russe"

   
I am now feeling some closure over my reading of "Danse russe" by Wm Carlos Williams as I awoke this morning with the realization that 'n' in the Greek alphabet resembles our 'v' and so gives "lovely" for "lonely", thereby clinching, so my satisfaction, the poem draped as Venus Kallipygos.

And I am amused to think that the "ditty" points to Aphrodite.

But all is lost if the flame-white disc is not the full moon on the shining trees, high only late in the night, and not visible from a north room in New England, the silken mists alluding to Selena's raiment, daughters and daughter of Titans.

The poem restored, the Venus restored, the year 1917.

A less grotesque reading may be Stavinsky and Diagolev with Nijinski in the white shirt or "vest" [Russian 'B'] as seen in "Петрушка: scènes burlesques en quatre tableaux"  by Stravinsky of 1911. But note that Nijinski's utter lunacy dates to 1919.  The yellow drawn shades might suggest something thought tawdry in New England.

But why "against" the shades?  A hint at curtains, drapings?  And here I thought I had reached closure in this one reading ...

He admires his arms first, for they are raised above his head - but he speaks of his face, not the shape if his head [ the Venus Kalli. copy was found without a head, so I imagine the head draped, but he offers his face - a man whose head might be found so well-shaped.]

I find no clue in the use of "Kathleen" - nor in álainn or uaigneach although one might imagine a clue in ομορφιά or in красавица. unless Kathleen hints at theogony, Θεογονία, which leads into an amusing tributary to Zeus and pater familias.

It is after all a dance in a year when so many will not return to Russia from Paris - but how late in that year 1917 was it written?  Already he is discussing the book in a letter to Marianne Moore in February of that year {Feb 21]. When did he receive galleys? The collection, AL QUE QUIERE appeared in what month? And which poems had first appeared elsewhere?

A. Walton Litz and Christopher John MacGowan note that Ballet Russes were in New York in 1916 with Nijinsky dancing. They note Kathleen as the nursemaid to his children.

The poet does not say "make of these what you will" - you must want the poems.

see also: 'The embodiment of Knowledge'

regarding publication: see his letters; the publisher; critical notice or other notice

note: "Danse Russe" is in William Carlos Williams/selected poems as edited by Robert Pinsky.


Such a simple thing, awkwardness embedded in its very midst, and yet if wanted, rewards and rewards yet again.