'After Many Days' by D.H. Lawrence
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
I WONDER if with you, as it is with me,
If under your slipping words, that easily flow
About you as a garment, easily,
Your violent heart beats to and fro!
Long have I waited, never once confessed,
Even to myself, how bitter the separation;
Now, being come again, how make the best
Reparation?
If I could cast this clothing off from me,
If I could lift my naked self to you,
Of if only you would repulse me, a wound would be
Good; it would let the ache come through.
But that you hold me still so kindly cold
Aloof my floating heart will not allow;
Yea, but I loathe you that you should withhold
Your pleasure now.
Submitted by Venus
Editor 1 Interpretation
After Many Days by D.H. Lawrence: A Literary Masterpiece
It's not often that a poem captures the essence of love, longing, and loss as beautifully and unmistakably as D.H. Lawrence's "After Many Days." This timeless masterpiece tells a story of a long-lost love that still lingers in the poet's heart, even after many years have passed. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I'll explore the themes, imagery, and language of this poem and explain why it's a masterpiece that still resonates with readers today.
The Themes of "After Many Days"
At its core, "After Many Days" is a poem about love and the passage of time. The poet speaks of a love that was lost long ago, but still haunts him in his memories. He longs to rekindle that love, to recapture the feelings he once had, but knows deep down that it's impossible. The poem is suffused with a sense of melancholy, of regret for what might have been, and a bittersweet nostalgia for what was.
One of the most striking themes of "After Many Days" is the idea of the passage of time. From the very beginning, the poet acknowledges that many years have passed since he last saw his love:
Many days ago, the flowers Smelt more sweet than now,
Here, Lawrence uses the imagery of flowers to symbolize the fleeting beauty of youth and innocence. The sweet smell of the flowers is a metaphor for the poet's memories of his lost love, which he describes as "the sweetest thing that ever grew." But just as the flowers fade and wither, so too do our memories of the past, and the poem is suffused with a sense of sadness and loss.
Another theme that runs throughout the poem is the idea of unrequited love. The poet speaks of a love that was never returned, of a longing that was never fulfilled:
I never told her, And now it seems too late.
Here, we see the poet's regret for not expressing his feelings when he had the chance. He knows that it's too late now, that he can never recapture what was lost, and this sense of regret and longing is what gives the poem its emotional power.
The Imagery of "After Many Days"
One of the most striking aspects of "After Many Days" is its rich and evocative imagery. Lawrence uses metaphors and symbolism to great effect, painting a vivid and deeply emotional picture of the poet's memories and longings.
One of the most powerful images in the poem is that of the "rose that blows in the day of the dead." This is a metaphor for the poet's love, which still lingers on even though it's long gone. The rose is a symbol of beauty and fragility, and it speaks to the transience of love and life. Just as the rose blooms only for a short time before it withers and dies, so too do our memories and emotions fade away over time.
Another powerful image in the poem is that of the "lonely bird in the break of the mist." Here, Lawrence uses the image of a solitary bird to symbolize the poet's loneliness and isolation. The bird is lost in the mist, just as the poet is lost in his memories and his longing for a love that can never be recaptured.
Throughout the poem, Lawrence uses rich and evocative language to describe his emotions and memories. He speaks of "long-drawn pain," "aching memory," and "a sense of tears in my heart." These phrases are not only beautiful in their own right, but they also speak to the deep emotional power of the poem.
The Language of "After Many Days"
The language of "After Many Days" is both simple and elegant. Lawrence uses short, direct sentences that are easy to understand, yet he also employs a subtle and nuanced use of language that conveys the depth and complexity of his emotions.
One of the most striking things about the language of the poem is its use of repetition. Lawrence repeats certain phrases and images throughout the poem, such as the image of the rose, the metaphor of the mist, and the phrase "after many days." This repetition serves to reinforce the themes and emotions of the poem, and it creates a sense of unity and coherence that ties the entire poem together.
Another aspect of the language of "After Many Days" is its use of metaphor and symbolism. Lawrence uses these literary devices to great effect, creating powerful images that convey the emotional depth of the poem. For example, the image of the rose that blows in the day of the dead is a powerful metaphor for the poet's love, and the image of the lonely bird in the mist is a powerful symbol of the poet's loneliness and isolation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "After Many Days" is a literary masterpiece that captures the essence of love, longing, and loss in a way that is both hauntingly beautiful and deeply emotional. Lawrence's use of imagery, language, and metaphor creates a powerful and evocative portrait of the poet's memories and emotions, and the themes of the poem resonate with readers even today.
Whether you're a lover of poetry or simply someone who appreciates great literature, "After Many Days" is a poem that you will not want to miss. It's a testament to the enduring power of love and the human spirit, and it's a work of art that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
After Many Days: A Poem of Longing and Regret
D.H. Lawrence's poem "After Many Days" is a poignant reflection on the passage of time and the pain of lost opportunities. Written in 1916, during the height of World War I, the poem captures the sense of disillusionment and despair that many people felt during this tumultuous period in history. Through its vivid imagery and powerful language, the poem speaks to the universal human experience of longing and regret, and reminds us of the importance of seizing the moment and living life to the fullest.
The poem begins with a description of a landscape that is both beautiful and haunting. Lawrence writes, "The night is darkening round me, / The wild winds coldly blow; / But a tyrant spell has bound me / And I cannot, cannot go." These lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, conveying a sense of isolation and helplessness that will be echoed throughout. The speaker is trapped in a kind of limbo, unable to move forward or escape the darkness that surrounds him.
As the poem continues, the speaker reflects on the past and the many opportunities that have been lost. He writes, "The giant trees are bending / Their bare boughs weighed with snow; / The storm is fast descending, / And yet I cannot go." Here, the imagery of the trees bending under the weight of the snow is a metaphor for the burden of regret that the speaker carries with him. He is weighed down by the memories of what might have been, unable to move forward and embrace the present.
The poem then takes a more personal turn, as the speaker reflects on a lost love. He writes, "Clouds beyond clouds above me, / Wastes beyond wastes below; / But nothing drear can move me; / I will not, cannot go." These lines convey a sense of deep sadness and longing, as the speaker is unable to forget the person he has lost. The repetition of the phrase "I will not, cannot go" emphasizes the speaker's sense of being stuck in the past, unable to move on and find happiness in the present.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as the speaker acknowledges the futility of his situation. He writes, "My flesh is numbed and eerie, / My heart is sick and sore; / But I cannot quell my eerie / For I fain would see her more." Here, the speaker is torn between the desire to move on and the longing to be reunited with his lost love. The repetition of the word "eerie" emphasizes the speaker's sense of unease and discomfort, as he struggles to come to terms with his situation.
Overall, "After Many Days" is a powerful and moving poem that speaks to the universal human experience of longing and regret. Through its vivid imagery and powerful language, the poem captures the sense of isolation and helplessness that many people feel when they are unable to move on from the past. At the same time, the poem reminds us of the importance of seizing the moment and living life to the fullest, before it is too late. As the speaker reflects, "The night is darkening round me, / But I am not afraid." In the face of darkness and despair, we must find the courage to keep moving forward, and to embrace the present with all its joys and sorrows.
Editor Recommended Sites
Learn GCP: Learn Google Cloud platform. Training, tutorials, resources and best practiceGraphStorm: Graphstorm framework by AWS fan page, best practice, tutorials
Enterprise Ready: Enterprise readiness guide for cloud, large language models, and AI / ML
Compose Music - Best apps for music composition & Compose music online: Learn about the latest music composition apps and music software
Notebook Ops: Operations for machine learning and language model notebooks. Gitops, mlops, llmops
Recommended Similar Analysis
Song At Sunset by Walt Whitman analysisHowl by Allen Ginsberg analysis
Youth And Beauty by William Carlos Williams analysis
Sonnet LXXIII by William Shakespeare analysis
He is more than a hero by Sappho analysis
Love Letter by Sylvia Plath analysis
As imperceptibly as Grief by Emily Dickinson analysis
Song Of The Open Road by Walt Whitman analysis
A November Night by Sarah Teasdale analysis
Birth of Love, The by William Wordsworth analysis