The Night

The night symbolizes mystery, reverence, and transformation. The atmosphere of the night gatherings—with the resonant combination of being in nature and drinking wine with friends—allows for a collective sense of reverence. The speaker also shares her private understanding of these nights.

Nudity

Nudity symbolizes vulnerability and freedom. The speaker recalls the way a woman in her circle used to disrobe, bearing her large and beautiful body as she gave an opera performance. The speaker desired such comfort and pleasure capable of being felt in one's own skin, though she also recognizes the limits of the human form.

Birds

Birds symbolize flight, mobility, and the innate desire for freedom. The speaker describes how the opera singer's voice moved through the night "high and clear / as a flock of blackbirds" (11-12). Later, the speaker compares the woman's voice to the way a trapped bird inside...