{
 "id": "mina-loy/giovanni-franchi",
 "title": "Giovanni Franchi",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Mina Loy",
 "poet_slug": "mina-loy",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poetry",
 "book_slug": null,
 "book_kind": "compilation",
 "sequence": null,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1916,
  "venue": "Rogue, vol. II [i.e. III] no. 1 (October 1916), p. 4",
  "note": "Read on the page image of the Beinecke copy: the masthead reads “OCTOBER · ROGUE · Allen Norton, Editor · Vol. II [i.e. III] · No. 1”, the imprint line at the foot of page 2 reads “Copyright 1916 by Rogue, Inc.”, the contents leaf lists “Giovanni Franchi … Mina Loy … Page 4”, and the poem stands on page 4 over the byline “By Mina Loy”, closing with the dateline “Forte-dei-Marmi, July 23, 1915”, which is when it was written. Yale’s catalogue records that this third volume is misnumbered vol. 2 on its covers.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/17390662"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/mina-loy_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
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   "https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/17390662",
   "https://archive.org/details/othersanantholo01kreygoog",
   "https://archive.org/details/cu31924022030351",
   "https://archive.org/details/littlereview07mcke/page/n199",
   "https://archive.org/details/sim_others-a-magazine-of-the-new-verse_1917-04_3_6",
   "https://archive.org/details/sim_dial_1921-06_70/page/672",
   "https://archive.org/details/sim_dial_1921-08_71/page/n15",
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   "https://archive.org/details/contact-collection-of-contemporary-writers/page/137",
   "https://personal.colby.edu/~isadoff/map/loy.doc",
   "https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/11/digital_objects/211477",
   "https://digitalcommons.whitworth.edu/transatlantic/1/"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-12"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 170,
  "n_stanzas": 19,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 62,
  "max_indent": 0
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 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "The threewomen who all walked",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the same dress",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And it had falling ferns on it",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Skipped parallel",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the progress",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of Giovanni Franchi",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Giovanni Franchi’s wrists flicked",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Flickeringly as he flacked them",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His wrists explained things",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Infectiously by way of his adolescence",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His adolescence was all there was of him",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Whatever was left was rather awkward",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His adolescence tuned to the tops of trees",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Descended to the fallacious nobility",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of his first pair of trousers",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "They were tubular flapped friezily",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The colour of coppered mustard",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What matter",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Were they not the first",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No others could ever be the first again",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The ferns on the flounces of the threewomen",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Began fading as she thought of it",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Tea-table problems for insane asylums",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Are démodé",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Démodé",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Allow us to rely on our instincts",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The threewomen was composed of three instincts",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Each sniffing divergently directed draughts",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The first instinct first again may",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "renascent gods save us from the enigmatic",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "penetralia of Firstness",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was to be faithful to a man first",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The second to be loyal to herself first",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She would have to find which self first",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The third which might as well have been first",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was to find out how many toes the",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "philosopher Giovanni Bapini had first",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Giovanni Franchi hooligan-faced and latin-born",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "You imagine what he looked like",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Looked it as nearly as he could as the",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "philosopher looked",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His articulations were excellent",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Still where Giovanni Bapini was cymophanous",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Giovanni Franchi was merely pale",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "His acolytian sincerity",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The sensitive down among his freckles",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Fell in with the patriotic souls of flags",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Red white and green flags filliping piazzas",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When the “National Idea” arrived on the Milan Express",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He scuttled winsomely",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To its distribution from a puffer",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For the declaration of War",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Continually cutting off an angle from Paszkowski’s",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Through plate-glass swingings",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To look as busy bodily",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As the philosopher’s brain was",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As Giovanni Bapini importuned mobs",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From monumental gums",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the sparky detritus",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From the hurried cigarette",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of his disciple",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Whose papa and mama kept a trattoria",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Audaciously squatting right opposite the Pitti Palace",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Pitti Palace however stolid could hardly help noticing",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Being an aristocrat it went on looking",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As plainly piled up as ever",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Pitti Palace has never been known to mention the trattoria",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Or mention Giovanni Franchi",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sitting in it",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At a book",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "It could not see from that distance",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Giovanni watching the munchers supporting his parents",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With an eye",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On assuring himself",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of their sufficient impression",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By erudition",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "He was so young",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That explains so much",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "No book ever explained what to be young is",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But they look so much more important for that",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Giovanni was in continuous exstacy",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Induced by the imposing look of them",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When Giovanni Bapini spoke of them",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He could not tell",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "How completely more precious",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Would be such knowledge",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As how many toes the philosopher Giovanni Bapini had",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Now the threewomen",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For pity’s sake",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let us think of her as she to save time",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Seeing the minor Giovanni",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sitting at the major Giovanni’s feet",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Made sure he must be counting his toes",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All to the contrary he was picking the philosopher’s brains",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Happy in the security that when he had done",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He would still be youthful enough to sort out his own",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "He listened at the elder’s lips",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That taught him of earthquakes and women",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of women⁠⸻⁠⸻⁠⸻",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His manners were abominable",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He would kill a woman",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Quite inconspicuously it is true",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And neglect to attend her funeral",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I mean the older man",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And what he told",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Giovanni Franchi",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "About these pernicious persons",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Was so extremely good for him",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "It entirely spoilt his first love-affair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To such an extent it never came off",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "We have read of",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Trattoria meaning eating house.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Piazzas or squares",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Pitti Palace enormous",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And Paszkowski’s for beer",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All are in Firenze",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Firenze is Florence",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Some think it is a woman with flowers in her hair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But no it is a city with stones on the streets",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Giovanni Bapini often said",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Everybody in Firenze knows me",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And everybody did",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Excepting⁠—That is she didn’t",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She never knew what he was",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Or how he was himself",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Yet she uniquely was the one",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To speculate upon the number of his toes",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The days growing longer",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Fulfilling her of curiosity",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "She made a moth’s-net",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of metaphor and miracles",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And on the incandescent breath of civilizations",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She chased by moon-and-morn light",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Philosopher’s toes",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "As virginal as had he never worn them",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Clear of “white marks mean money”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All quicks and cores",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They fluttered to her fantasy",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Fell into her lap",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "While she gathered her ferny flounces about them",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They inappropriately passed",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But Giovanni Franchi was there",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He almost winked it at her",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That he was there",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His eyes were intrepid with phantom secrets",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Philosopher had flung to him",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And as she tripped by him",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She guessed these all",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "All but the number of those toes",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "She made diurnal pilgrimage",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the trattoria",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To eat",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Trout that might have been trained for circuses",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "If minarets grew in miniature whirlpools",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And mayonnaise that helped her to forget",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That what is underneath need never matter",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "She put all minor riddles out of her",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Such as",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What was the under-cover of Franchi’s book",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Telling to the plaid pattern of the table-cloth",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Too shy to interrogate",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "She sent ambassadors",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the disciple",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They returned",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Oh rats",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Quite manifest that Giovanni Franchi",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Some semieffigy",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Damned by scholiums",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Knew no more how many toes⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Than Giovanni Bapini knew himself",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}