Denise LevertovThere's in my mind a...turbulent moon-ridden girlor old woman, or both, dressed in opals and rags, feathersand torn taffeta, who knows strange songsbut she is not kind.
About This Quote
This quote is from 'The Tempest' by William Shakespeare. The quote is an indescribable mixture of imagery, speech, and metaphor. The speaker here is Prospero, the character who was originally the Duke of Milan. Prospero has exiled himself on an island, and wishes to communicate with Miranda (the daughter of his friend Antonio).
Miranda's father Antonio was the Duke of Milan, but Prospero has banished him because his daughter Miranda was involved in a scandalous relationship with Prospero's enemy, Caliban. After banishing Antonio, Prospero now lives on an island for the rest of his days. He has taught his daughter Miranda to sing songs that are special to him, and she sings them for him at night while she sleeps.
When she falls asleep at night, he also falls asleep.
Source: Poems, 19721982
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