The Speaker's Memory

Part of the poem takes place in the speaker's memory as she recalls the vivid gatherings of her youth. The opening line "in those days" situates the poem in the past, which also construes it as a narrative. The use of sensory details help enliven her memory. For example, "the stars / emerged to stare at their reflections on the sea" and the singer's "tender belly" appears "pale in the moonlight" (4-5 and 8). The speaker's memory is also tinged with reverence as she and the others in her circle beheld the opera singer's performance.

The Seaside at Night

The speaker recalls how a woman in her circle used to disrobe and sing opera while naked at their nighttime gatherings, which took place by the sea. This evocative image portrays comfort and intimacy on two scales: the personal and the collective. While such a scene could potentially take...