Key of this poem is to solve "arc of white" without a light. Moon seems fine but it still has some light and cannot continue the reading. A white quill pen fits the poem. In this case, spider is an antique author who wove stories under oppression. Physiognomy narrows the selection, Dante's Divine Comedy.
A Spider sewed at Night 1
Without a Light
Upon an Arc of White.
If Ruff it was of Dame 4
Or Shroud of Gnome
Himself himself inform.
Of Immortality 7
His Strategy
Was Physiognomy.
Without a Light
Upon an Arc of White.
If Ruff it was of Dame 4
Or Shroud of Gnome
Himself himself inform.
Of Immortality 7
His Strategy
Was Physiognomy.
(F.1163/J.1138)
[1] Spider:: one who weaves stories, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). sewed:: made up the Divine Comedy. at Night:: the book was written between 1308 and 1321 during his exile (1301-1321).
[2] Without a Light:: in the beginning, Dante was lost in a dark forest; the first two parts of his Divine Comedy, Hell and Purgatory.
[3] Arc of White:: a white quill pen; the third part the book, Heaven.
[4] Ruff:: to ruffle, stir, the writing. Dame:: Beatrice, his dream lover; Dame seems to hint at Dante.
[5] Shroud, Gnome:: a maxim in disguise.
[6] himself inform:: only Dante himself knew what he really tried to say.
[7] Immortality:: his book becomes immortal.
[8, 9] Strategy, physiognomy:: Dante put in his Divine Comedy famous people like Homer, Ovid, Ulysses, Paris, Helen, etc., based on his own preference.
