Sleeping On The Ceiling Poem by Elizabeth Bishop

Sleeping On The Ceiling

Rating: 3.3


It is so peaceful on the ceiling!
It is the Place de la Concorde.
The little crystal chandelier
is off, the fountain is in the dark.
Not a soul is in the park.

Below, where the wallpaper is peeling,
the Jardin des Plantes has locked its gates.
Those photographs are animals.
The mighty flowers and foliage rustle;
under the leaves the insects tunnel.

We must go under the wallpaper
to meet the insect-gladiator,
to battle with a net and trident,
and leave the fountain and the square
But oh, that we could sleep up there...

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Robert Barnett 29 April 2009

I can enjoy and understand this poem, but I fail to understand the line 'Those photographs are animals.' The only image I take from that is the perspective generated by distance, but that doesn't do much. Any thoughts?

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Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop

Worcester, Massachusetts
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