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Quote #1

Green, how I want you green.
Green wind. Green branches. (1-2)

At the poem's outset, we are introduced to a speaker who desires. Here, he declares his lust in the most general sense, but, as we progress through the poem, it's clear that this kind of desire spreads to include a whole variety of things, from gypsy girls to balconies. In that same way, the color that the speaker desires also spreads, from an abstract idea to the branches and the wind. The speaker's world seems to be colored by his desire.

Quote #2

Under the gypsy moon,
all things are watching her
and she cannot see them. (10-13)

It's not just the speaker who feels lusty, either. The eventual object of his desire, the green gypsy girl, seems to arouse the same feelings in every other thing in the world. Everything is exhibiting desire. Well, everything except for her, that is. What's her deal? For some answers, check out "Symbols: The Girl."

Quote #3

my horse for her house,
my saddle for her mirror,
my knife for her blanket. (26-28)

In these lines, the speaker wants more than just the girl. He wants her things, too. Could it be that these items remind him of her? Or is it more likely that these items represent to him what the girl herself represents: stability, comfort, and assurance?

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