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The Mad Scene | The New Yorker

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“The Mad Scene” by James Merrill was published in the print edition of the March 27, 1995, issue of The New Yorker.

Save this story Save this story View this story as it originally appeared » Again last night I dreamed the dream called Laundry. In it, the sheets and towels of a life we were going to share, The milk-stiff bibs, the shroud, each rag to be ever Trampled or soiled, bled on or groped for blindly, Came swooning out of an enormous willow hamper Onto moon-marbly boards. We had just met. I watched From outer darkness. I had dressed myself in clothes Of a new fiber that never stains or wrinkles, never Wears thin. The opera house sparkled with tiers And tiers of eyes, like mine enlarged by belladonna,

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