Marianne Moore. The Wizard in Words. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

The Wizard in Words

By Marianne Moore


From “Pouters and Fantails” “WHEN I am dead,”
The wizard said,
“I’ll look upon the narrow way
And this Dante,
And know that he was right;	5
And he’ll delight
In my remorse—
Of course.”

“When I am dead,”
The student said,	10
“I shall have grown so tolerant
I’ll find I can’t
Laugh at your sorry plight,
Or take delight
In your chagrin,	15
Merlin.”