Tarantella Poem by Hilaire Belloc
Tarantella
Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?
And the tedding and the spreading
Of the straw for a bedding,
And the fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees,
And the wine that tasted of tar?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
(Under the vine of the dark veranda)?
Do you remember an Inn, Miranda,
Do you remember an Inn?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
Who hadn't got a penny,
And who weren't paying any,
And the hammer at the doors and the din?
And the hip! hop! hap!
Of the clap
Of the hands to the swirl and the twirl
Of the girl gone chancing,
Glancing,
Dancing,
Backing and advancing,
Snapping of the clapper to the spin
Out and in--
And the ting, tong, tang of the guitar!
Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?
Never more;
Miranda,
Never more.
Only the high peaks hoar;
And Aragon a torrent at the door.
No sound
In the walls of the halls where falls
The tread
Of the feet of the dead to the ground,
No sound:
But the boom
Of the far waterfall like doom.
How wonderfully, ironically prescient that the words hip! hop! are in this poem-for it has a true funky rhythm.
I learned this by rote aged 12. I loved it then and love it now. It is so evocative of the flamenco beat and mourns the loss of a friend/dancer. i used to think that it was linked to the Spanish Civil war in some way-but that was only a child's imagination
I have always believed that this poem was about a girl who was bitten by a tarantula.(Tarentella dance-it was thought that by dancing the spiders venom would wear off) .It has always been a favourite of mine and I won an eisteddfod with it at the precocious age of 10!
A light weight poem made joyful to read by the play of words is an art only Hilaire Belloc can do better ever!
Rereading this, still an amazing read and excellent poem
Just visible now on my home page. Congratulations being chosen as The Classic Poem Of The Day!
Enjioyed very much having reread this! I had given this 5 Stars earlier in this year but I do it now once again because of the brilliant tunes in this Song poem
This is thought-provoking poem but sweetly tuned in best end rhymes and brilliant rhythm.5 Stars full!
Amazing thought-provoking poem. Finest read, bit melancholic.but very brilliant.5 Stars!
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11/24/2024 1:16:04 PM # 1.0.0
And the hip! hop! hap! Of the clap Of the hands to the swirl and the twirl Of the girl gone chancing, Glancing, Dancing, Backing and advancing, Snapping of the clapper to the spin Out and in- beautifully made! 10++