← All chapters
Poetry · Chapter
CLXXIV explained
A brief observation on the artless woman, identifiable by her gown trimmed with feathers of the white blackbird, suggesting a paradox or impossibility.
What happens
A brief observation on the artless woman, identifiable by her gown trimmed with feathers of the white blackbird, suggesting a paradox or impossibility.
Key passages
“The artless woman may be known by her costume: her gown is trimmed with feathers of the white blackbird.”
A woman lacking artifice can be recognized by her clothing, which is adorned with feathers from a mythical or impossible bird.
The 'white blackbird' is a symbol of something that does not exist, highlighting the irony in identifying artlessness through an impossible marker.