[Alessio Boni]

Hello!

I especially enjoyed the first image the poem emits, although I genuinely wonder if there is any correlation between the vestment of grandeur (silk) and the almost squalid thought of revisiting past regrets or chances as is seen by the brief acquaintance with the dame illumed by the lobby light, and shortly shunned thereafter to avoid the 'drowning tide', despite the many queries the narrator poses himself in doing such. It's a little duality I found interesting.

Another part which I enjoyed, although mostly for the image it gave me, is the verse,

"My halting steps abate in a descent."

I found it nice because I envisioned the narrator taking light steps within a dreamy like hall now falling apart, in shape, and form, as do memories, into an almost surreal scene where the hall kind of slopes downwards into oblivion. His halting steps essentially halting because they are no longer able to step foot on stable ground and on stable memories. It's just a fancy's image that came up!

I have two questions however, firstly being; Why is she illumed by a lobby light firstly (where they could have first met), and then by a candlelight?

Secondly, although this might just be me not understanding at all, Why does the silk slip past the narrator at the end, giving him a glance before surpassing him in the hall?

I think, overall, that I understood the poem as a trinket to the complications of everyone's past, but if this is not the case I apologize.

Also solid pentameter, although a bit loose at times, that gives the piece a very solemn tone!

P.S

Forgot to say,

Bravo!!