TWILIGHT I have dreamed of flight. And I have dreamed of your laces strewn in the bedroom. I have dreamed of some mother walking the length of a wharf and at fifteen nursing the hour. I have dreamed of flight. A "forever" sighed at a fo'c'sle ladder. I have dreamed of a mother, of fresh sprigs of table-greens, and the stars stitched in bridals of the dawn. The length of a wharf … the length of a drowning throat! Translated by John Knoepfle
The speaker expresses a longing for the freedom of flight, intertwined with nostalgic dreams of intimacy and maternal figures. These dreams evoke imagery of domestic life, such as laces in a bedroom and the nurturing presence of a mother walking by a wharf, suggesting a yearning for connection and comfort. The repetition of the phrase "I have dreamed of flight" highlights a desire not just for physical escape, but also for emotional liberation.
Further, the imagery deepens with references to nature and life's fleeting moments, suggesting a struggle between hope and despair. The mention of “the length of a drowning throat” juxtaposes the dreams of beauty and the harsh realities of existence. This reflects an intricate relationship with longing and loss, emphasizing both the joy of dreams and the weight of unfulfilled desires.