'If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love' by Dylan Thomas


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18 Poems1934If I were tickled by the rub of love,
A rooking girl who stole me for her side,
Broke through her straws, breaking my bandaged string,
If the red tickle as the cattle calve
Still set to scratch a laughter from my lung,
I would not fear the apple nor the flood
Nor the bad blood of spring.Shall it be male or female? say the cells,
And drop the plum like fire from the flesh.
If I were tickled by the hatching hair,
The winging bone that sprouted in the heels,
The itch of man upon the baby's thigh,
I would not fear the gallows nor the axe
Nor the crossed sticks of war.Shall it be male or female? say the fingers
That chalk the walls with greet girls and their men.
I would not fear the muscling-in of love
If I were tickled by the urchin hungers
Rehearsing heat upon a raw-edged nerve.
I would not fear the devil in the loin
Nor the outspoken grave.If I were tickled by the lovers' rub
That wipes away not crow's-foot nor the lock
Of sick old manhood on the fallen jaws,
Time and the crabs and the sweethearting crib
Would leave me cold as butter for the flies
The sea of scums could drown me as it broke
Dead on the sweethearts' toes.This world is half the devil's and my own,
Daft with the drug that's smoking in a girl
And curling round the bud that forks her eye.
An old man's shank one-marrowed with my bone,
And all the herrings smelling in the sea,
I sit and watch the worm beneath my nail
Wearing the quick away.And that's the rub, the only rub that tickles.
The knobbly ape that swings along his sex
From damp love-darkness and the nurse's twist
Can never raise the midnight of a chuckle,
Nor when he finds a beauty in the breast
Of lover, mother, lovers, or his six
Feet in the rubbing dust.And what's the rub? Death's feather on the nerve?
Your mouth, my love, the thistle in the kiss?
My Jack of Christ born thorny on the tree?
The words of death are dryer than his stiff,
My wordy wounds are printed with your hair.
I would be tickled by the rub that is:
Man be my metaphor.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love" by Dylan Thomas: A Deep Dive into the Poem

Are you familiar with Dylan Thomas? If you are, then you know that he is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. And if you are not, then you are in for a treat because we are about to embark on a journey through one of his most intriguing and thought-provoking poems: "If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love."

This poem is a masterpiece in its own right, and its title alone is enough to make one wonder what it is all about. But fear not, for we will unravel its mysteries in this literary criticism and interpretation.

A Brief Overview

But first, let us have a quick overview of the poem. "If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love" is a love poem that explores the physical and emotional aspects of love. It is divided into four stanzas, each containing four lines. The poem is written in free verse, which means that it does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter.

The poem starts with the speaker imagining what it would be like to be tickled by the rub of love. He then goes on to describe the sensations he would feel, from the physical to the emotional. The second stanza talks about the power of love, how it can bring two people together and make them feel connected. The third stanza describes the speaker's desire for his love to be reciprocated, and the final stanza concludes with the speaker's acceptance of the unpredictable nature of love.

The Title: A Play on Words

Let us start with the title. "If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love" is a play on words. The phrase "tickled by the rub" suggests a physical sensation, while "love" refers to the emotional aspect of the poem. The use of the word "tickled" is interesting because it suggests a lighthearted and playful tone, which is at odds with the deeper emotions that the poem explores.

The word "rub" is also significant because it suggests friction or contact. When we rub two things together, we create heat and energy. Similarly, when we experience love, we create a connection and a flow of emotions.

The First Stanza: Sensual Imagery

The poem starts with the speaker imagining what it would be like to be tickled by the rub of love. He describes the sensations he would feel using sensual imagery:

If I were tickled by the rub of love,
A rooking girl who stole me for her side,
Broke through her straws, breaking my bandaged string,
If the red tickle as the cattle calve

The use of the word "rooking" suggests a playful and mischievous girl who has stolen the speaker's heart. The imagery of "straws" and "bandaged string" suggests a sense of vulnerability and fragility, as if the speaker's heart is easily broken.

The final line of the stanza, "If the red tickle as the cattle calve," is a metaphor for the intensity of the physical and emotional sensations that the speaker imagines. When a cow gives birth, it experiences a powerful physical sensation as the calf is born. Similarly, the speaker imagines a powerful physical sensation if he were to experience the rub of love.

The Second Stanza: The Power of Love

The second stanza explores the power of love to bring two people together and create a sense of connection:

Flesh ploughed by hand
Is deep and black, but soft as fireclay;
The hills are smoking, the valleys cowslipped
All over whispers of fallen rain.

The imagery in this stanza is powerful and evocative. The metaphor of "flesh ploughed by hand" suggests the idea of hard work and effort, but also the potential for growth and new life. The landscape imagery of "hills" and "valleys" suggests a sense of a natural and harmonious connection.

The final line, "whispers of fallen rain," is particularly beautiful because it suggests a sense of renewal and regeneration. Rain is often seen as a symbol of life and growth, and the idea of "whispers" suggests a gentle and tranquil setting.

The Third Stanza: Desire and Longing

The third stanza takes a more introspective turn, as the speaker expresses his desire for his love to be reciprocated:

When the ploughman says, "summer hill
Silver with corn,"
Or the owl, "frost-bound, fierce animals
Horned, hoot in the tufts."

The use of the word "ploughman" suggests a sense of rural life and the cyclical nature of the seasons. The speaker is longing for a deeper connection, something that goes beyond the physical sensations he has described in the first stanza.

The imagery of the "owl" and the "frost-bound, fierce animals" suggests a sense of danger and uncertainty, which is at odds with the tranquil tone of the second stanza. The speaker is aware that love is not always easy or predictable, and he is willing to accept the risks that come with it.

The Fourth Stanza: Acceptance and Closure

The final stanza concludes the poem with a sense of acceptance and closure:

Green I the round hill
Of my tortoise mountain
Crushed at the inch-thick oak
With two flying heels,
In my loin-cloth, jumped the heath,
And spurred my sea-born passion
On the white heads of the waves
Snarling to break for shore.

The imagery in this stanza is surreal and dreamlike. The use of the word "tortoise" suggests a sense of stability and endurance, while the idea of "crushing" the oak suggests a sense of power and agency.

The final lines of the poem are particularly interesting because they suggest a sense of closure and acceptance. The speaker is willing to embrace the uncertainty and unpredictability of love, and he is willing to take risks in order to experience it.

Conclusion

"If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love" is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the physical and emotional aspects of love. The use of powerful and evocative imagery, combined with the free verse structure, creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability.

The poem is a testament to Dylan Thomas's mastery of language and his ability to capture complex emotions in a few simple words. It is a poem that deserves to be read and reread, and it is a reminder that love is a powerful and unpredictable force that can bring us joy and pain in equal measure.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love: A Masterpiece by Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, is known for his vivid imagery and lyrical language. His poem "If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love" is a perfect example of his poetic genius. In this 24-line poem, Thomas explores the theme of love and its transformative power. The poem is a beautiful and complex work of art that requires a closer look to fully appreciate its depth and beauty.

The poem begins with the speaker imagining what it would be like to be tickled by the rub of love. The phrase "tickled by the rub of love" is a metaphor for the transformative power of love. The speaker imagines that if he were to experience this sensation, he would be transformed into something new and beautiful. The use of the word "tickled" suggests a playful and lighthearted feeling, while the word "rub" suggests a more intense and passionate experience.

The second line of the poem, "A rooking girl, with gold hair on my breast," introduces the idea of a girl with golden hair. The word "rooking" means cheating or swindling, which suggests that the girl may not be trustworthy. However, the speaker is still drawn to her, and the image of her lying on his chest creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability.

The third line of the poem, "Should carve initials in me and in the dust," introduces the idea of carving initials. This is a common practice among lovers, and it suggests a desire for permanence and a sense of ownership. The use of the word "carve" suggests a sense of permanence and a desire to leave a lasting mark.

The fourth line of the poem, "And on the shoulder blades of every breeze," introduces the idea of the breeze. The image of the breeze suggests a sense of freedom and movement, which contrasts with the idea of carving initials and the desire for permanence.

The fifth line of the poem, "Scatter Derrick, Paula, and Bridget and Sue," introduces the names of four women. These names are likely meant to represent different women that the speaker has loved or desired. The use of multiple names suggests that the speaker has had many different experiences with love and desire.

The sixth line of the poem, "My loves, and all hungers, all my sounds and silences," suggests that the speaker has experienced many different types of love and desire. The use of the word "hungers" suggests a sense of longing and desire, while the words "sounds and silences" suggest a sense of communication and connection.

The seventh line of the poem, "Her mouth would slip to my mouth, and our tongues would coil," introduces the idea of kissing. The image of the tongues coiling suggests a sense of intimacy and connection.

The eighth line of the poem, "And mingle into a scream," suggests that the kiss would be intense and passionate. The use of the word "scream" suggests a sense of release and catharsis.

The ninth line of the poem, "I should drink wines, and spit the lees," introduces the idea of drinking wine. The image of drinking wine suggests a sense of indulgence and pleasure. The use of the word "lees" suggests a sense of waste or excess.

The tenth line of the poem, "Wearing my veins like a vine," suggests that the wine would flow through the speaker's veins like a vine. The image of the vine suggests a sense of growth and vitality.

The eleventh line of the poem, "And the seven days and nights should tumble down," introduces the idea of time. The use of the phrase "seven days and nights" suggests a sense of completeness and wholeness.

The twelfth line of the poem, "And I should take my place with the rocks and trees," suggests that the speaker would become one with nature. The use of the phrase "take my place" suggests a sense of belonging and connection.

The thirteenth line of the poem, "So might that madness of love slip into quietude," suggests that the intensity of love would eventually fade into a sense of calm and peace. The use of the word "madness" suggests a sense of intensity and passion, while the word "quietude" suggests a sense of calm and stillness.

The fourteenth line of the poem, "And the lashed and wandering and fleet and swart," introduces a series of adjectives that describe the speaker's experiences with love. The use of these adjectives suggests a sense of movement and change.

The fifteenth line of the poem, "Ride through me and on me, questing, sating," suggests that the speaker's experiences with love have been both fulfilling and satisfying. The use of the words "questing" and "sating" suggests a sense of exploration and fulfillment.

The sixteenth line of the poem, "As hungered spirits through dead years have ridden," suggests that the speaker's experiences with love are not unique, but rather a common human experience. The use of the phrase "hungered spirits" suggests a sense of longing and desire, while the phrase "dead years" suggests a sense of timelessness.

The seventeenth line of the poem, "I should have peace, yet not in love I'd find," suggests that the speaker would find peace, but not necessarily through love. The use of the phrase "not in love" suggests a sense of disillusionment or disappointment.

The eighteenth line of the poem, "Nor peace at last, while I should see her face," suggests that the speaker's desire for the girl with golden hair would prevent him from finding true peace. The use of the phrase "her face" suggests a sense of obsession or fixation.

The nineteenth line of the poem, "Her lips, that fondle late and lingeringly," introduces the idea of the girl's lips. The use of the phrase "late and lingeringly" suggests a sense of indulgence and pleasure.

The twentieth line of the poem, "Return for a night to cool earth's breast," suggests that the speaker would eventually return to the earth. The use of the phrase "cool earth's breast" suggests a sense of comfort and rest.

The twenty-first line of the poem, "But love could not be found in the empty breast," suggests that the speaker would not find love in death. The use of the phrase "empty breast" suggests a sense of emptiness or lack.

The twenty-second line of the poem, "And on the next day, and the next day," suggests that life would continue after the speaker's death. The use of the phrase "next day" suggests a sense of continuity and the passage of time.

The twenty-third line of the poem, "There should be no let up, there should be no rest," suggests that life would continue without pause or interruption. The use of the phrase "no let up" suggests a sense of relentlessness or persistence.

The final line of the poem, "Through the cracked years that Death would bind," suggests that even in death, life would continue. The use of the phrase "cracked years" suggests a sense of decay or deterioration, while the phrase "Death would bind" suggests a sense of finality or closure.

In conclusion, "If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love" is a beautiful and complex poem that explores the transformative power of love. Through vivid imagery and lyrical language, Dylan Thomas creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability that is both powerful and moving. The poem is a masterpiece of modern poetry and a testament to Thomas's poetic genius.

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