Carl Sandburg

Goldwing Moth

Goldwing Moth - meaning Summary

Small Luminous Presence

The poem describes a goldwing moth resting on a desk between scissors and an ink bottle after circling a glass bulb and flame. The speaker notes the moth’s soft golden wings and likens their color to illuminated initials in medieval manuscripts. The brief scene contrasts ordinary, utilitarian objects with a small, luminous creature, suggesting a quiet moment of attention that elevates mundane surroundings into something reminiscent of art or sacred craft.

Read Complete Analyses

A goldwing moth is between the scissors and the ink bottle on the desk. Last night it flew hundreds of circles around a glass bulb and a flame wire. The wings are a soft gold; it is the gold of illuminated initials in manuscripts of the medieval monks.

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