The Apostrophe to Vincentine

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of an idealized, almost divine vision of someone named Vincentine, initially perceived in isolation against a stark natural backdrop. The narrator sees her as "nude between / Monotonous earth and dark blue sky," a framing that renders her both vulnerable and transcendent, "so small and lean, / And nameless, / Heavenly vincentine." This initial perception strips away context, emphasizing a pure, almost elemental form. The second stanza introduces sensory details, grounding the vision slightly. She's "warm as flesh," with a specific, yet mutable, dress color: "green, / Was whited green." This adds a layer of tangible reality, but the repetition of "vincentine" keeps the focus on her essence, suggesting the color itself becomes imbued with her identity. The shift occurs in the third section as Vincentine is introduced into a social setting, walking "In a group / Of human others, / Voluble." The contrast between her solitary, almost ethereal initial presentation and this communal, noisy reality is striking. The simple act of her "walking" and "talking" breaks the spell of pure contemplation, reintroducing her to the everyday world. Ultimately, the narrator's perception transforms the mundane into something extraordinary. The "monotonous earth" becomes an "illimitable sphere of you," and the "white animal, so lean" (perhaps a metaphor for her perceived purity or fragility) is re-envisioned as "heavenly, heavenly Vincentine." This suggests the narrator's profound emotional connection elevates the ordinary reality of Vincentine into something sacred and all-encompassing, a testament to how love or intense admiration can reshape perception.