Oh, gallant was the first love, and glittering and fine;
The second love was water, in a clear white cup;
The third love was his, and the fourth was mine;
And after that, I always get them all mixed up.
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Very Nice Piece
Thanks Mr. Nam for such a nice explanation of this wonderful piece. The poem is somewhat philosophical analogy of the love and the maturity of the lover with the past experiences and the stupidity of the same to consider him self mature in love. The theme of the poem is, I suppose , that the more you try to find the nature of love the more you are confused. -
The title reminds me of someone at night looking at a wall of pictures/paintings etc., and since it's night-time they are a bit hazy. Thus: Pictures In The Smoke phrase.
I feel the first line is sort of an emotional past-look on a first love. Whether for Parker or for someone else.
The second line is a reflection of the first line but not exactly the same and thus is seen different.
Then it's like a turn-a-round of sorts when you get to the third line. And then those 'cups' afterwards are just mixed in the fold, so to say.
Like the pictures on the wall I mention in the beginning of my comment.
Maybe I read this entirely different than I should have, perhaps it's meaning isn't so hazy and just literally standing in front of me. And perhaps it is, but I like looking into the 'smoke'.
A lovely piece written here by Parker.
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