When I went into my room, at mid-morning,
Say ten o’clock ...
My room, a crash-box over that great stone rattle
The Via de’ Bardi....
When I went into my room at mid-morning
Why?... a bird!
A bird
Flying round the room in insane circles.
In insane circles!
... A bat!
A disgusting bat
At mid-morning!...
Out! Go out!
Round and round and round
With a twitchy, nervous, intolerable flight,
And a neurasthenic lunge,
And an impure frenzy;
A bat, big as a swallow.
The Venetian shutters I push wide
To the free, calm upper air;
Loop back the curtains....
Now out, out from my room!