# IV explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Mina Loy.

## What happens

A surreal, poetic vision unfolds in a mezzanino beneath a starry ceiling, depicting an uncanny family of bird-like beings with human features and wisdom's eyes. The speaker observes a figure carrying a baby in a padded carrier tied with ribbon to goose-like wings, and expresses a desire to live among their fearful furniture to learn their secrets before sweeping the brood clean out.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Body and Mortality

The imagery of 'bird-like abortions' and 'human throats' evokes grotesque bodily transformations and the fragility of life.

### Childhood and Innocence

The presence of a baby in a porte-enfant and the speaker's desire to uncover secrets suggest a tension between innocence and hidden knowledge.

## Key lines

> Once in a mezzanino The starry ceiling Vaulted an unimaginable family Bird-like abortions With human throats And Wisdom’s eyes

In a small room under a starry ceiling, there was a bizarre family of bird-like creatures with human voices and wise eyes.

_Introduces the surreal, hybrid family that is central to the chapter's imagery._

> One bore a baby In a padded porte-enfant Tied with a sarsenet ribbon To her goose’s wings

One of them carried a baby in a padded carrier, fastened with a silk ribbon to her goose-like wings.

_Highlights the maternal and grotesque fusion of human and avian elements._

> But for the abominable shadows I would have lived Among their fearful furniture To teach them to tell me their secrets Before I guessed —Sweeping the brood clean out

If not for the terrible shadows, I would have stayed among their frightening belongings to learn their secrets before I figured them out—then clearing them all away.

_Reveals the speaker's ambivalent desire for intimacy and control over the mysterious family._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_17_se/chapters/iv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_17_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_17_se/chapters