The prince leans to the girl in scarlet heels, / Her green eyes slant, hair flaring in a fan / Of silver
-- Speaker (Lines 1-3)

Importance: This opening line is filled with references to color: scarlet, green, and silver. Each of these colors carry folkloric and mythological associations, as well as being symbols of luxury. This description quickly and vividly brings the scene to life and creates a sense of vibrancy, energy, and textural sensation.

guests slide gliding into light like wine
-- Speaker (Line 6)

Importance: This line is a particularly good example of the use of rhythmic poetic devices. It uses two instances of alliteration: the repeated G in “guests […] gliding” and the repeated L of “like wine.” It uses an internal rhyme in “slide gliding,” and assonance (repeated vowel sounds) throughout. These choices illustrate the poet’s mastery of language, as well as creating a musical, dance-like rhythm that mirrors the dance happening in the poem.

Until near...
-- Speaker (Lines 11-12)