Five Flights Up Poem by Elizabeth Bishop
Five Flights Up
Still dark.
The unknown bird sits on his usual branch.
The little dog next door barks in his sleep
inquiringly, just once.
Perhaps in his sleep, too, the bird inquires
once or twice, quavering.
Questions---if that is what they are---
answered directly, simply,
by day itself.
Enormous morning, ponderous, meticulous;
gray light streaking each bare branch,
each single twig, along one side,
making another tree, of glassy veins...
The bird still sits there. Now he seems to yawn.
The little black dog runs in his yard.
His owner's voice arises, stern,
"You ought to be ashamed!"
What has he done?
He bounces cheerfully up and down;
he rushes in circles in the fallen leaves.
Obviously, he has no sense of shame.
He and the bird know everything is answered,
all taken care of,
no need to ask again.
---Yesterday brought to today so lightly!
(A yesterday I find almost impossible to lift.)
He has no sense of shame! ! Some people are like that! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.
The weight of yesterday difficult to lift and cope with, not like the dog who has no sense of shame..
A meaningful poem from the pen of a great poetess
An interesting poem written with clarity of thought and mind. Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem of yours....
Marvelous observation of movements of little dog and the bird with equally marvelous interpretation of their actions have made this poem superb nature poem.
answer was there but under the dark layer days come and go -no need to discover- warning for the unknown savior! all answer were there but under dark fear we can't discover……! ./// great poem
A dawning well-observed. Then the two closing lines that give it umph! and explain the perspective behind the lines that preceded it. How much a new dawn, a new day, can lift us! -GK
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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7/8/2025 3:20:28 AM # 1.0.0
i like this poem! it is very good!