Entranced

by David McCann

Entranced
The Breakers Vanderbilt Mansion, Newport, Rhode Island

“How do we enter?” we ask,
knowing we could never
fill those gilded spaces
with other than astonished
glances up, clouds and blue sky
springing the inlaid ceiling open.

We gaze from pool room table,
where confident shots left balls
spinning the dance to drop,
down to the pair of dolphins
poised beneath the elegant drink stand,
crystal goblets, porcelain plates.

All of us waiting now for
the clear piano moment,
we walk through gilded doors
to gaze at walls holding volumes,
new meaning for that very word
back by the front: ENTRANCE