Jewel Stairs' Grievance: Li PO / Ezra Pound

We can assume from the poet's heritage that the speaker is an Asian woman. However, there are further contextual cues that aid in the understanding of "The Jewel Stairs' Grievance." For one, the opening line refers to "jeweled steps," which indicates a place of some wealth or importance. There is sexual innuendo throughout the poem: the dew, the gauze stockings, and the "crystal curtain" symbolize female sexuality. The moon is also a female symbol, corresponding with her monthly cycle. The moon also corresponds to the fact that it is late, signifying that the speaker is likely to be a concubine.

Shakespeare's Sonnet 73

The speaker is likely to be an older or mature man. He states, "In me thou seest the twilight of such day." The first half of the sonnet is filled with imagery of autumn, symbolizing aging and even possibly...
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