As far from pity, as complaint－1
As cool to speech－as stone－
As numb to Revelation
As if my Trade were Bone－
As far from time－as History－5
As near yourself－Today－
As Children, to the Rainbow's scarf－
Or Sunset's Yellow play
To eyelids in the Sepulchre－9
How dumb the Dancer lies－
While Color's Revelations break－
And blaze－the Butterflies!
As cool to speech－as stone－
As numb to Revelation
As if my Trade were Bone－
As far from time－as History－5
As near yourself－Today－
As Children, to the Rainbow's scarf－
Or Sunset's Yellow play
To eyelids in the Sepulchre－9
How dumb the Dancer lies－
While Color's Revelations break－
And blaze－the Butterflies!
(F.364/J.496)
[1] As, as:: this poem describes the scene Quasimodo in the tomb with Esmeralda. far from pity:: Quasimodo, a hunchback without any pity in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo.
[2] cool to speech as stone:: Quasimodo is unable to speak.
[3] numb to Revelation:: what people think of Quasimodo.
[4] my Trade, Bone:: the trade of Quasimodo's love is the dead Esmeralda.
[5, 6] far, near:: Quasimodo can finally embrace Esmeralda.
[7] Rainbow:: for him it's like a dream comes true.
[8] Yellow:: affected with jealousy, jealous (OED 2a). Sunset, play:: a jest on Quasimodo for the jealousy of his love.
[9] eyelids in the Sepulchre:: a hint on a body in the grave.
[10] Dancer:: Esmeralda, a Gypsy dancer in the novel.
[11] Revelations break:: people discover the bodies of Quasimodo and Esmeralda.
[12] blaze the Butterflies:: Quasimodo's love shines those frivolous persons, like Phoebus de Chateaupers, or Claude Frollo.