Kinbote begins his commentary by explaining that the bird in the opening line apparently crashes into a window and then describes his vision of Shade as a young boy discovering such a fallen bird. The subject of birds leads him to discuss how his gardener helped him identify the different birds of New Wye when he moved there.
A bird in Zembla similar to the waxwing of the poem is on the coat of arms of Zemblan King Charles the Beloved. Back to the poem, Shade began writing it on July 1. Kinbote wants the timing to correlate to the departure of Gradus, the attempted assassin of the king, but Gradus actually left Zembla on July 5.
Kinbote speculates.....
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