# VII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Mina Loy.

## What happens

A brief, visceral poem capturing a moment of urban movement and sensory experience, with the speaker's feet striking flagstones and the wind filling their lungs, while birds continue their flight into an endless night.

## Key lines

> My pair of feet Smack the flag-stones That are something left over from your walking

My feet hit the pavement, which is a remnant of your past steps.

_The speaker connects their present movement to an absent 'you,' suggesting a lingering presence or memory._

> The wind stuffs the scum of the white street Into my lungs and my nostrils

The wind forces the dirty residue of the street into my breathing passages.

_A gritty, embodied experience of the urban environment, emphasizing pollution and intrusion._

> Exhilarated birds Prolonging flight into the night Never reaching

Excited birds extend their flight endlessly into the darkness, never arriving.

_An image of perpetual motion and unfulfilled journey, contrasting with the speaker's grounded steps._

## Links

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