Each Whining Thing {1929} When stripèd snakes shall creep upon us And the nervous screams of birds Make silent all the fountains and the orchards and when these Have caught upon the wing each wing That flutters from the sky Then shall I and then shall I Rip out the smiles from garden walks Transform the minnows into hawks Tarantulas and bees Then shall I and then shall I Unmake each whining thing.
In "Each Whining Thing," Paul Bowles paints a dark, surreal image of a world in turmoil. He imagines a time when nature's beauty is disrupted by ominous transformations, like snakes creeping and birds' screams silencing the serene landscape. This unsettling vision suggests a profound transition from peace to chaos, evoking a sense of dread and foreboding. The speaker’s frustration is palpable, as he reflects on the loss of tranquility in the...
