'The Lure Of Little Voices' by Robert Service


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There's a cry from out the loneliness -- oh, listen, Honey, listen!
Do you hear it, do you fear it, you're a-holding of me so?
You're a-sobbing in your sleep, dear, and your lashes, how they glisten --
Do you hear the Little Voices all a-begging me to go?

All a-begging me to leave you. Day and night they're pleading, praying,
On the North-wind, on the West-wind, from the peak and from the plain;
Night and day they never leave me -- do you know what they are saying?
"He was ours before you got him, and we want him once again."

Yes, they're wanting me, they're haunting me, the awful lonely places;
They're whining and they're whimpering as if each had a soul;
They're calling from the wilderness, the vast and God-like spaces,
The stark and sullen solitudes that sentinel the Pole.

They miss my little camp-fires, ever brightly, bravely gleaming
In the womb of desolation, where was never man before;
As comradeless I sought them, lion-hearted, loving, dreaming,
And they hailed me as a comrade, and they loved me evermore.

And now they're all a-crying, and it's no use me denying;
The spell of them is on me and I'm helpless as a child;
My heart is aching, aching, but I hear them, sleeping, waking;
It's the Lure of Little Voices, it's the mandate of the Wild.

I'm afraid to tell you, Honey, I can take no bitter leaving;
But softly in the sleep-time from your love I'll steal away.
Oh, it's cruel, dearie, cruel, and it's God knows how I'm grieving;
But His loneliness is calling, and He knows I must obey.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Lure Of Little Voices: A Masterpiece of Poetic Narration

Are you looking for a poem that can transport you to another world? A piece of literature that can take you on a journey through the wilderness of the human mind? Look no further than Robert Service's "The Lure of Little Voices." This classic poem, originally published in 1907, is a masterpiece of poetic narration that explores the power and danger of the human imagination.

The Poem

At its core, "The Lure of Little Voices" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of listening to the whispers of our own fears and desires. It tells the story of a man who is lured deep into the wilderness by the "little voices" in his head, voices that promise him riches and adventure but ultimately lead him to his own demise.

The poem is divided into four stanzas, each of which builds upon the narrative of the previous one. The first stanza introduces us to the man and the voices that call to him.

"The lure of little voices!" How it haunts us all! The rapture of the lonely road The joy of the urge to roam The revel of the gypsy blood The glamour of the unknown The "drink" from the cup of the Infinite That is what we own.

Here, we are presented with a series of images and ideas that are meant to evoke a sense of wanderlust and adventure. The "little voices" are portrayed as a force that is irresistible to all of us, a call to the open road and the unknown.

The second stanza builds upon this sense of excitement, as the man sets out on his journey.

So I followed the lure of little voices, And I came to a woodland wold And I found a world where the leaves were gold And the sunlight filtered through And the silvery birches swayed and sighed In the way that birches do.

Here, we see the man venturing into the wilderness, drawn by the promise of adventure and riches. The imagery used in this stanza is lush and evocative, painting a picture of a beautiful and mysterious world that has captured the man's imagination.

However, as the poem progresses, we begin to see the darker side of the "little voices" that have led the man into the wilderness. In the third stanza, we see the man becoming more and more lost, as the voices promise him riches that he can never find.

And I heard a voice say, "Come!" And I followed the call till I came upon An open space in the wood, And there was a chest with a gleaming key And it seemed that my luck was good. For the chest was packed with yellow gold That shone like the stars above, And I thought that I'd won the game of life And I'd found the treasure trove.

Here, we see the man becoming increasingly delusional, as he becomes convinced that he has found the key to his fortune. However, as we will see, this treasure is ultimately a trap, leading the man further and further into the wilderness, away from safety and civilization.

In the final stanza, the man's fate is sealed, as he becomes lost in the wilderness forever.

But I heard the little voices again, And I followed their beck and call, Till I came to the end of the rainbow's arch, And there was no gold at all. And I cried aloud in my great despair, And I beat on the breast of fate, And I cursed the lure of the little voices That had led me to my fate.

Here, we see the man's final realization that he has been fooled by his own imagination. The "little voices" have led him to a dead end, a place of despair and hopelessness. The poem ends on a note of tragedy, as we see the man's dreams and aspirations crushed by his own folly.

Interpretation

So what is the meaning behind "The Lure of Little Voices"? On one level, the poem is a cautionary tale about the dangers of following our own desires blindly. The man in the poem is lured into the wilderness by his own fantasies and dreams, only to find himself lost and alone. In this sense, the poem can be seen as a warning against the dangers of giving in to the lure of the unknown, and the importance of staying grounded in reality.

However, there is also a deeper meaning to the poem, one that speaks to the power of the human imagination. The "little voices" in the poem are not just a warning against the dangers of following our own desires, but also a celebration of the power of the human mind to create worlds and possibilities that do not exist in reality. In this sense, the poem can be seen as a tribute to the human capacity for creativity and imagination, even in the face of adversity and hardship.

At the same time, however, the poem also acknowledges the darker side of the human imagination. The man in the poem is ultimately destroyed by his own fantasies and desires, suggesting that there is a danger in giving in too fully to the lure of the unknown. In this sense, the poem can be seen as a warning against the dangers of becoming too lost in our own dreams and fantasies, and the importance of maintaining a sense of perspective and reality.

Conclusion

In the end, "The Lure of Little Voices" is a powerful and evocative poem that speaks to the complexities of the human mind and the dangers that lie within it. Through its vivid imagery and haunting narrative, the poem explores the power and danger of the human imagination, and the importance of staying grounded in reality even as we explore the unknown. Whether read as a cautionary tale or a tribute to the human capacity for creativity and imagination, "The Lure of Little Voices" is a timeless masterpiece of poetic narration that will continue to captivate and inspire readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Lure of Little Voices: A Poem that Captures the Magic of Childhood

Robert Service's poem, The Lure of Little Voices, is a masterpiece that captures the magic of childhood. The poem is a nostalgic journey that takes the reader back to the days of innocence and wonder, where the world was full of possibilities and adventure. The poem is a celebration of the little voices that call out to us, urging us to explore and discover the world around us.

The poem begins with the speaker reminiscing about his childhood days, where he would wander through the fields and forests, listening to the little voices that called out to him. The speaker describes the voices as "tiny, elfin voices" that would beckon him to come and play. The use of the word "elfin" is significant, as it conjures up images of magical creatures and fairy tales, which are often associated with childhood.

The poem then takes a darker turn, as the speaker describes how the little voices would sometimes lead him astray, into dangerous and forbidden places. The speaker describes how he would follow the voices "down the dark and winding ways, / Where the brambles tore my jacket, / And the thorns scratched through my face." This is a powerful image, as it shows how the lure of the little voices can sometimes lead us into harm's way.

However, despite the dangers, the speaker cannot resist the lure of the little voices. He describes how he would "follow, follow, follow, / Till I came to some enchanted place, / Where the sunbeams danced like fairies, / And the flowers kissed my face." This is a beautiful image, as it shows how the little voices can lead us to places of wonder and beauty.

The poem then takes another turn, as the speaker describes how the little voices would sometimes lead him to places of sadness and despair. He describes how he would follow the voices "down the dreary lanes of sorrow, / Where the raindrops fell like tears." This is a poignant image, as it shows how the little voices can also lead us to places of sadness and pain.

Despite the sadness, the speaker cannot resist the lure of the little voices. He describes how he would "follow, follow, follow, / Till I came to some enchanted place, / Where the moonbeams shone like silver, / And the stars lit up my face." This is another beautiful image, as it shows how the little voices can lead us to places of beauty and wonder, even in the midst of sadness and despair.

The poem ends with the speaker reflecting on his childhood days, and how the little voices have stayed with him throughout his life. He describes how he still hears the voices "calling, calling, calling, / From the fields and from the woods, / From the hills and from the valleys, / From the mountains and the floods." This is a powerful image, as it shows how the lure of the little voices can stay with us throughout our lives, reminding us of the magic and wonder of childhood.

In conclusion, The Lure of Little Voices is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the magic of childhood. The poem is a celebration of the little voices that call out to us, urging us to explore and discover the world around us. The poem shows how the lure of the little voices can lead us to places of wonder and beauty, but also to places of danger and sadness. Despite the risks, the speaker cannot resist the lure of the little voices, and they have stayed with him throughout his life. The poem is a reminder to us all to listen to the little voices that call out to us, and to never lose the sense of wonder and magic that we had as children.

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