Weldon Kees

Here you will find the Poem The Party of poet Weldon Kees

The Party

The obscene hostess, mincing in the hall, 
Gathers the guests around a crystal ball. 
It is on the whole an exciting moment; 
Mrs. Lefevre stares with her one good eye; 
A friendly abdomen rubs against one?s back; 
?Interesting,? a portly man is heard to sigh. 


A somewhat unconvincing oriental leers 
Redundantly; into the globe he peers, 
Mutters a word or two and stands aside. 
The glass grows cloudy with sulphorous fumes; 
Beads rattle, latecomers giggle near the door. 
A scene forms in the glass; silence invades the rooms. 


The oriental glances up, conceals surprise 
At such immediate success. Our eyes 
Stare at the planes that fill the swelling globe, 
Smoke-blue; blood, shelltorn faces. Suddenly a drum 
Begins its steady beat, pursues us even here: 
Death, and death again, and all the wars to come.