'Mazie's Ghost' by Robert Service


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In London City I evade
For charming Burlington Arcade -
For thee in youth I met a maid
By name of Mazie,
Who lost no time in telling me
The Ritz put up a topping tea,
But having only shillings three
My smile was hazy.

:Instead," said I, "it might be sport
To take a bus to Hampton Court,"
(Her manner, I remarked, was short,)
But she assented.
We climbed on top, and all the way
I held her hand, I felt quite gay,
Bu Mazie, I regret to say,
Seemed discontented.

In fact we almost had a tiff.
It's true it rained and she was stiff,
And all she did was sneeze and sniff
And shudder coldly.
So I said: "Mazzie, there's the maze;
Let's frolic in its leafy ways,"
And buying tickets where one pays
I entered boldly.

The, as the game is, we were lots;
We dashed and darted, crissed and crossed,
But Mazie she got vexed and sauced
Me rather smartly.
There wasn't but us two about;
We hollered, no one heard our shout;
The rain poured down: "Oh let's get out,"
Cried Mazie tartly.

"Keep cool, says I. "You fool," says she;
"I'm sopping wet, I want my tea,
Please take me home," she wailed to me
In accents bitter.
Again we tried, this way and that,
Yet came to where we started at,
And Mazie acted like a cat,
A champion spitter.

She stomped and romped till all was blue,
Then sought herself to find the clue,
And when I saw her next 'twas through
A leafy screening;
"Come on, she cooed, "and join me here;
You'll take me to the Savoy, dear,
And Heidsieck shall our spirits cheer."
I got her meaning.

And yet I sought her everywhere;
I hurried here, I scurried there,
I took each likely lane, I swar,
As I surmised it:
The suddenly I saw once more,
Confronting me, the exit door,
And I was dashing through before
I realized it.

And there I spied a passing bus.
Thinks I: "It's mean to leave her thus,
But after all her fret and fuss
I can't abide her.
So I sped back to London town
And grubbed alone for half-a-crown,
On steak and kidney pie washed down
With sparkling cider.

But since I left that damsel fair,
The thought she may have perished there,
Of cold, starvation and dispair
Nigh drives me crazy.
So, stranger, if you should invade
The charming Burlington Arcade,
Tell me if you behold a shade,
Ghost of a most unhappy maid
By name of Mazie.

Editor 1 Interpretation

#Mazie's Ghost: A Haunting Tale of Love and Loss

Robert Service's poem "Mazie's Ghost" is a haunting tale of love and loss that explores themes of memory, grief, and the supernatural. Written in Service's signature ballad style, the poem tells the story of a man who is haunted by the ghost of his lost love, Mazie, and is unable to move on from his grief.

##Structure and Style

The poem is structured in four stanzas, each with eight lines. The rhyme scheme follows the pattern ABABCCDD, with the C and D lines forming a refrain that is repeated at the end of each stanza. The rhythm of the poem is iambic tetrameter, with four beats per line, giving it a sing-song quality that is characteristic of Service's ballad style.

Service's use of language is simple and straightforward, but it is also evocative and powerful. He uses vivid imagery to create a sense of place and atmosphere, and he uses repetition and alliteration to create a musical quality that makes the poem easy to remember and recite.

##Interpretation

At its core, "Mazie's Ghost" is a poem about the enduring power of love and the human struggle to come to terms with loss. The narrator of the poem is a man who is haunted by the ghost of his lost love, Mazie, and is unable to let go of his grief. He is tormented by memories of their time together, and he longs to be reunited with her in death.

The supernatural element of the poem is central to its meaning. The ghost of Mazie represents the narrator's unresolved feelings of loss and longing, and her presence serves as a reminder of the love that they shared. The fact that the narrator is unable to move on from his grief suggests that he is trapped in the past, unable to find closure and move forward with his life.

The poem also explores the idea of memory and its power to shape our lives. The narrator's memories of Mazie are vivid and intense, and they have a profound impact on his emotional state. He is unable to escape the memories of their time together, and they continue to haunt him even after her death.

##Themes

One of the central themes of the poem is grief and the human struggle to come to terms with loss. The narrator of the poem is consumed by his grief for Mazie, and he is unable to move on from her death. His inability to find closure is a common experience for those who have lost someone they love, and it is a powerful reminder of the enduring impact that loss can have on our lives.

Another theme that is explored in the poem is the power of memory. The narrator's memories of Mazie are vivid and intense, and they have a profound impact on his emotional state. His memories of her serve as a reminder of the love that they shared, and they also serve as a source of comfort and solace during his time of grief.

The supernatural element of the poem is also a key theme. The ghost of Mazie represents the narrator's unresolved feelings of loss and longing, and her presence serves as a reminder of the love that they shared. The fact that the narrator is unable to move on from his grief suggests that he is trapped in the past, unable to find closure and move forward with his life.

##Symbolism

There are several symbols in the poem that contribute to its meaning. The ghost of Mazie represents the narrator's unresolved feelings of loss and longing, and her presence serves as a reminder of the love that they shared. The fact that the narrator is unable to move on from his grief suggests that he is trapped in the past, unable to find closure and move forward with his life.

The sea is another important symbol in the poem. It represents the vastness and mystery of the universe, and the fact that the narrator longs to be reunited with Mazie in death suggests that he sees death as a way to escape the pain and suffering of life. The sea also represents the boundary between life and death, and the fact that the narrator is unable to cross it suggests that he is trapped in a liminal space between the two.

##Conclusion

In conclusion, Robert Service's poem "Mazie's Ghost" is a haunting tale of love and loss that explores themes of memory, grief, and the supernatural. The poem is structured in four stanzas, each with eight lines, and it follows a rhyme scheme of ABABCCDD. Service's use of language is simple and straightforward, but it is also evocative and powerful, and his imagery creates a vivid sense of place and atmosphere.

At its core, "Mazie's Ghost" is a poem about the enduring power of love and the human struggle to come to terms with loss. The supernatural element of the poem is central to its meaning, and the ghost of Mazie represents the narrator's unresolved feelings of loss and longing. The fact that the narrator is unable to move on from his grief suggests that he is trapped in the past, unable to find closure and move forward with his life.

Overall, "Mazie's Ghost" is a powerful and evocative poem that speaks to the universal experience of grief and loss. Its themes and symbols are rich and complex, and its language is both simple and profound. It is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the deepest emotions of the human experience.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Mazie's Ghost: A Haunting Tale of Love and Loss

Robert Service's Mazie's Ghost is a haunting poem that tells the story of a young woman's tragic death and her lover's desperate attempt to reconnect with her in the afterlife. With its vivid imagery, evocative language, and powerful emotions, this classic poem has captivated readers for generations and continues to resonate with audiences today.

The poem begins with a description of the titular character, Mazie, who is portrayed as a beautiful and vibrant young woman. Service's use of language is particularly effective here, as he describes Mazie's "laughing eyes" and "rippling hair" in a way that brings her to life in the reader's mind. We can almost see her standing before us, full of life and vitality.

However, this idyllic scene is soon shattered by the tragic news of Mazie's death. We learn that she was killed in a boating accident, and her lover is left to mourn her passing. The poem takes on a more somber tone at this point, as Service describes the lover's grief in heartbreaking detail. He speaks of the "aching void" that Mazie's death has left in his life, and his desperate desire to be reunited with her once again.

It is at this point that the poem takes a supernatural turn, as the lover begins to sense Mazie's presence around him. He hears her voice in the wind, sees her face in the moonlight, and feels her touch in the rustling leaves. Service's use of imagery here is particularly effective, as he creates a sense of otherworldly beauty and mystery that is both eerie and enchanting.

As the poem progresses, the lover becomes more and more obsessed with the idea of reconnecting with Mazie in the afterlife. He begins to believe that her ghost is haunting him, and he becomes increasingly desperate to make contact with her. He visits her grave at night, hoping to catch a glimpse of her spirit, and he even goes so far as to perform a ritual in an attempt to summon her back to the world of the living.

Despite his best efforts, however, the lover is unable to make contact with Mazie's ghost. The poem ends on a melancholy note, as the lover realizes that he will never be able to be with Mazie again. He speaks of the "lonely years" that stretch out before him, and the "aching void" that will never be filled.

So what is the meaning behind this haunting tale of love and loss? At its core, Mazie's Ghost is a meditation on the power of love and the human desire for connection. The lover's desperate attempts to reconnect with Mazie in the afterlife speak to the universal human longing for a sense of continuity and permanence in the face of death and loss.

At the same time, however, the poem also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of obsession and the pitfalls of trying to hold onto something that is gone. The lover's increasingly desperate attempts to make contact with Mazie's ghost suggest a kind of unhealthy fixation that ultimately leads to his own despair and isolation.

In this sense, Mazie's Ghost can be seen as a kind of warning against the dangers of clinging too tightly to the past. While it is natural to mourn the loss of a loved one, it is important to remember that life goes on, and that we must find a way to move forward even in the face of tragedy.

Overall, Mazie's Ghost is a powerful and evocative poem that speaks to the deepest human emotions of love, loss, and longing. With its vivid imagery, haunting language, and timeless themes, it is a classic work of literature that continues to resonate with readers today. Whether you are a fan of poetry or simply looking for a moving and thought-provoking read, Mazie's Ghost is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the power of words to move and inspire us.

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