'The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea' by Conrad Aiken


AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay


The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea.
The walls and towers are warmed and gleam.
Sounds go drowsily up from streets and wharves.
The city stirs like one that is half in dream.

And the mist flows up by dazzling walls and windows,
Where one by one we wake and rise.
We gaze at the pale grey lustrous sea a moment,
We rub the darkness from our eyes,

And face our thousand devious secret mornings . . .
And do not see how the pale mist, slowly ascending,
Shaped by the sun, shines like a white-robed dreamer
Compassionate over our towers bending.

There, like one who gazes into a crystal,
He broods upon our city with sombre eyes;
He sees our secret fears vaguely unfolding,
Sees cloudy symbols shape to rise.

Each gleaming point of light is like a seed
Dilating swiftly to coiling fires.
Each cloud becomes a rapidly dimming face,
Each hurrying face records its strange desires.

We descend our separate stairs toward the day,
Merge in the somnolent mass that fills the street,
Lift our eyes to the soft blue space of sky,
And walk by the well-known walls with accustomed feet.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea by Conrad Aiken

The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is a classic piece of poetry written by Conrad Aiken. Aiken was an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. He was a prolific writer, and his work was often noted for its deeply psychological themes. The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is one of his best-known works, and it is an excellent example of his talent for creating powerful and evocative imagery.

The Poem

The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea, And the waves come running white and fast. One lone seagull comes flying over me, And takes his chosen place upon the mast.

O thou great deity, whose breath is life, Whose voice is thunder, and whose hand is fire, The waves are thy white horses, and thy strife Is with the wind, thy rival and desire!

The poem opens with a powerful image of the sun rising over the sea. The sun is described as round and red, and it heaves darkly out of the sea. This image is both beautiful and ominous, suggesting that something powerful and profound is about to take place. The waves come running white and fast, adding to the sense of energy and movement in the scene.

The lone seagull flying over the speaker is a common motif in poetry and literature, often symbolizing freedom and independence. In this poem, the seagull takes his chosen place upon the mast, suggesting that he is in control of his fate and his journey.

The speaker then addresses a deity, describing him as a powerful force of nature. The waves are his white horses, and he is in constant struggle with the wind, his rival and desire. This image suggests that the deity is not just a passive observer of the natural world, but an active participant in its struggles and conflicts.

Interpretation

The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is a deeply symbolic poem that explores themes of power, struggle, and the natural world. The imagery in the poem is rich and powerful, and the language is evocative and vivid.

At its core, the poem is about the struggle for power between different forces of nature. The deity described in the poem is a powerful figure who is constantly in conflict with the wind. This conflict is not just physical, but also symbolic of the struggle for power and control in the natural world.

The waves, which are described as the deity's white horses, are also symbolic of power and energy. The image of the waves coming running white and fast suggests that they are a force to be reckoned with, and that they have a power and energy that is unmatched by anything else in the natural world.

The lone seagull flying over the speaker is a symbol of freedom and independence. In a world where power struggles are constant, the seagull represents a force that is able to navigate these struggles on its own terms. This image is both inspiring and hopeful, suggesting that even in the midst of conflict, there is always the possibility of freedom and independence.

Conclusion

The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is a powerful and evocative poem that explores themes of power, struggle, and the natural world. The imagery in the poem is rich and vivid, and the language is powerful and evocative.

At its core, the poem is about the struggle for power and control in the natural world. The deity described in the poem is a powerful figure who is constantly in conflict with the wind, and the waves are symbolic of his power and energy. The lone seagull flying over the speaker represents a force of freedom and independence in a world where power struggles are constant.

Overall, The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is a classic piece of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. Its themes of power, struggle, and the natural world are timeless, and its imagery and language are powerful and evocative.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is a classic poem written by Conrad Aiken. This poem is a masterpiece that has stood the test of time and continues to captivate readers with its vivid imagery and powerful emotions. In this article, we will take a closer look at this poem and explore its themes, symbolism, and literary devices.

The poem begins with a striking image of the sun rising out of the sea. The sun is described as "round" and "red," and it "heaves darkly" out of the sea. This image is both beautiful and ominous, suggesting that something significant is about to happen. The use of the word "heaves" suggests that the sun is struggling to rise, as if it is being held back by some unseen force. This creates a sense of tension and anticipation, as if the poem is building up to something important.

As the poem continues, we are introduced to the House of Dust, which is described as a "lonely house" that stands "on a hill." The house is surrounded by "fields of golden grain" and "orchards of purple plums." This description creates a sense of isolation and loneliness, as if the house is cut off from the rest of the world. The use of color imagery is also significant, as the golden grain and purple plums suggest abundance and fertility, but also a sense of decay and impermanence.

The House of Dust is also described as a place of memories, where "ghosts of dead loves" still linger. This suggests that the house is haunted by the past, and that the memories of lost loves still haunt the present. The use of the word "ghosts" is significant, as it suggests that these memories are not just memories, but also a kind of presence that still lingers in the house.

The poem then shifts to a more introspective tone, as the speaker reflects on his own life and mortality. He describes himself as a "pilgrim" who is "weary of the road." This suggests that he is tired of the journey of life, and that he is looking for a place to rest. The use of the word "pilgrim" is also significant, as it suggests that the speaker is on a spiritual journey, searching for meaning and purpose in life.

The speaker then reflects on the passing of time, describing how "the years like great black oxen tread the world." This image is both powerful and ominous, suggesting that time is a force that cannot be stopped or controlled. The use of the word "oxen" is also significant, as it suggests that time is a kind of beast that is both powerful and destructive.

The poem then returns to the image of the sun rising out of the sea, describing how it "flares up" and "burns" in the sky. This image is both beautiful and terrifying, suggesting that the sun is both a source of light and warmth, but also a destructive force that can burn and destroy. The use of the word "flares" is also significant, as it suggests that the sun is a kind of explosion, a burst of energy that can be both creative and destructive.

The poem ends with a powerful image of the House of Dust, which is described as a "lonely house" that stands "on a hill." This image is both beautiful and haunting, suggesting that the house is a kind of symbol for the human condition, a place of isolation and loneliness, but also a place of memories and meaning. The use of the word "lonely" is also significant, as it suggests that the house is a kind of metaphor for the human soul, which is always searching for meaning and purpose in a world that can be both beautiful and terrifying.

In conclusion, The House Of Dust: Part 02: 01: The round red sun heaves darkly out of the sea is a classic poem that explores themes of isolation, memory, mortality, and the passing of time. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and powerful emotions, creating a sense of tension and anticipation that builds throughout the poem. The use of symbolism and literary devices is also significant, adding depth and complexity to the poem. Overall, this poem is a masterpiece that continues to inspire and captivate readers with its timeless themes and powerful imagery.

Editor Recommended Sites

Kubernetes Delivery: Delivery best practice for your kubernetes cluster on the cloud
Webassembly Solutions: Webassembly consulting in DFW
Hands On Lab: Hands on Cloud and Software engineering labs
Dataform SQLX: Learn Dataform SQLX
Tree Learn: Learning path guides for entry into the tech industry. Flowchart on what to learn next in machine learning, software engineering

Recommended Similar Analysis

Getting There by Sylvia Plath analysis
A Character by William Wordsworth analysis
Lorelei by Sylvia Plath analysis
The Patriot by Robert Browning analysis
The Gift by Li-Young Lee analysis
r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r by e.e. cummings analysis
When Malindy Sings by Paul Laurence Dunbar analysis
Ode on Melancholy by John Keats analysis
What Best I See In Thee by Walt Whitman analysis
Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows by William Shakespeare analysis