'Room 7: The Coco-Fiend' by Robert Service
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I look at no one, me;
I pass them on the stair;
Shadows! I don't see;
Shadows! everywhere.
Haunting, taunting, staring, glaring,
Shadows! I don't care.
Once my room I gain
Then my life begins.
Shut the door on pain;
How the Devil grins!
Grin with might and main;
Grin and grin in vain;
Here's where Heav'n begins:
Cocaine! Cocaine!
A whiff! Ah, that's the thing.
How it makes me gay!
Now I want to sing,
Leap, laugh, play.
Ha! I've had my fling!
Mistress of a king
In my day.
Just another snuff . . .
Oh, the blessed stuff!
How the wretched room
Rushes from my sight;
Misery and gloom
Melt into delight;
Fear and death and doom
Vanish in the night.
No more cold and pain,
I am young again,
Beautiful again,
Cocaine! Cocaine!
Oh, I was made to be good, to be good,
For a true man's love and a life that's sweet;
Fireside blessings and motherhood.
Little ones playing around my feet.
How it all unfolds like a magic screen,
Tender and glowing and clear and glad,
The wonderful mother I might have been,
The beautiful children I might have had;
Romping and laughing and shrill with glee,
Oh, I see them now and I see them plain.
Darlings! Come nestle up close to me,
You comfort me so, and you're just . . . Cocaine.
It's Life that's all to blame:
We can't do what we will;
She robes us with her shame,
She crowns us with her ill.
I do not care, because
I see with bitter calm,
Life made me what I was,
Life makes me what I am.
Could I throw back the years,
It all would be the same;
Hunger and cold and tears,
Misery, fear and shame,
And then the old refrain,
Cocaine! Cocaine!
A love-child I, so here my mother came,
Where she might live in peace with none to blame.
And how she toiled! Harder than any slave,
What courage! patient, hopeful, tender, brave.
We had a little room at Lavilette,
So small, so neat, so clean, I see it yet.
Poor mother! sewing, sewing late at night,
Her wasted face beside the candlelight,
This Paris crushed her. How she used to sigh!
And as I watched her from my bed I knew
She saw red roofs against a primrose sky
And glistening fields and apples dimmed with dew.
Hard times we had. We counted every sou,
We sewed sacks for a living. I was quick . . .
Four busy hands to work instead of two.
Oh, we were happy there, till she fell sick. . . .
My mother lay, her face turned to the wall,
And I, a girl of sixteen, fair and tall,
Sat by her side, all stricken with despair,
Knelt by her bed and faltered out a prayer.
A doctor's order on the table lay,
Medicine for which, alas! I could not pay;
Medicine to save her life, to soothe her pain.
I sought for something I could sell, in vain . . .
All, all was gone! The room was cold and bare;
Gone blankets and the cloak I used to wear;
Bare floor and wall and cupboard, every shelf --
Nothing that I could sell . . . except myself.
I sought the street, I could not bear
To hear my mother moaning there.
I clutched the paper in my hand.
'Twas hard. You cannot understand . . .
I walked as martyr to the flame,
Almost exalted in my shame.
They turned, who heard my voiceless cry,
"For Sale, a virgin, who will buy?"
And so myself I fiercely sold,
And clutched the price, a piece of gold.
Into a pharmacy I pressed;
I took the paper from my breast.
I gave my money . . . how it gleamed!
How precious to my eyes it seemed!
And then I saw the chemist frown,
Quick on the counter throw it down,
Shake with an angry look his head:
"Your louis d'or is bad," he said.
Dazed, crushed, I went into the night,
I clutched my gleaming coin so tight.
No, no, I could not well believe
That any one could so deceive.
I tried again and yet again --
Contempt, suspicion and disdain;
Always the same reply I had:
"Get out of this. Your money's bad."
Heart broken to the room I crept,
To mother's side. All still . . . she slept . . .
I bent, I sought to raise her head . . .
"Oh, God, have pity!" she was dead.
That's how it all began.
Said I: Revenge is sweet.
So in my guilty span
I've ruined many a man.
They've groveled at my feet,
I've pity had for none;
I've bled them every one.
Oh, I've had interest for
That worthless louis d'or.
But now it's over; see,
I care for no one, me;
Only at night sometimes
In dreams I hear the chimes
Of wedding-bells and see
A woman without stain
With children at her knee.
Ah, how you comfort me,
Cocaine! . . .
Editor 1 Interpretation
Room 7: The Coco-Fiend
Oh, what a poem! What a masterpiece! Robert Service's "Room 7: The Coco-Fiend" is a tour de force of poetic skill and storytelling. From the vividly painted setting to the haunting and unforgettable characters, this poem immerses the reader in a world of decadence and depravity, of addiction and obsession, of beauty and horror.
At its core, "Room 7: The Coco-Fiend" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction. The titular character, the Coco-Fiend, is a man consumed by his lust for cocaine. He is a man who has lost everything to his addiction - his money, his health, his sanity, his soul. He is a man who is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction, unable to break free from the grip of his addiction.
One of the most striking things about this poem is its use of imagery. Service paints a vivid picture of the world of the Coco-Fiend, a world of "satin sheets and mirrors bright, / And marble bath and chandelier." The luxury of the setting is both alluring and repulsive, a symbol of the excess and decadence that is at the heart of the Coco-Fiend's addiction. The imagery in this poem is so powerful that it almost feels like the reader is there in Room 7, watching the Coco-Fiend destroy himself.
But it's not just the setting that is vividly portrayed in this poem. The characters are also unforgettable. There is the landlady, who is "fat and forty and placid and sad," a woman who has seen too much of the world to be shocked by anything anymore. There is the doctor, who comes to visit the Coco-Fiend and tells him that he is dying, but who is unable to do anything to help him. And, of course, there is the Coco-Fiend himself, a man who is both pitiable and terrifying.
One of the most interesting things about the Coco-Fiend is the way that he is portrayed in the poem. He is not depicted as a monster or a villain, but rather as a tragic figure. We see glimpses of the man he once was, the man who had a future and a hope. We see the pain and the desperation in his eyes, the way that he clings to his addiction as if it were the only thing that gives his life meaning. It's impossible not to feel a sense of empathy for the Coco-Fiend, even as we watch him slowly destroy himself.
At the same time, though, there is a sense of horror that permeates the poem. We see the physical effects of the Coco-Fiend's addiction - the way that his body is wasting away, the way that his mind is slipping further and further into madness. We see the way that he is consumed by his addiction, the way that he is willing to do anything to get his hands on more cocaine. And we see the way that his addiction has isolated him from the rest of the world, leaving him trapped in a room with nothing but his own demons for company.
But perhaps the most haunting aspect of "Room 7: The Coco-Fiend" is the way that it speaks to the universal human experience. We all have our own addictions, our own vices, our own demons that we struggle with. Whether it's drugs, alcohol, gambling, or something else entirely, we all know what it's like to be consumed by something that we can't control. We all know what it's like to feel trapped, alone, and helpless. And that's what makes this poem so powerful - it speaks to something deep within all of us.
In conclusion, "Room 7: The Coco-Fiend" is a masterpiece of poetic skill and storytelling. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction, a vividly painted portrait of a world of decadence and depravity, and a haunting meditation on the universal human experience. If you haven't read this poem yet, do yourself a favor and read it now. You won't regret it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Room 7: The Coco-Fiend by Robert Service is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a poem that is both haunting and captivating, and it tells the story of a man who is consumed by his addiction to cocoa. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and symbolism used in the poem, and we will examine how they contribute to the overall meaning of the work.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a man who is known as the Coco-Fiend. The man is described as being thin and gaunt, with eyes that are sunken and hollow. He is a man who is consumed by his addiction to cocoa, and he spends all of his time in Room 7, where he indulges in his habit. The speaker describes the room as being dark and dingy, with a musty smell that is almost overpowering.
The first theme that is explored in the poem is addiction. The Coco-Fiend is a man who is consumed by his addiction to cocoa, and he is unable to break free from it. The poem explores the destructive nature of addiction, and it shows how it can consume a person's life. The speaker describes the Coco-Fiend as being "thin and gaunt," which suggests that his addiction has taken a toll on his physical health. The fact that he spends all of his time in Room 7 also suggests that his addiction has isolated him from the rest of the world.
The second theme that is explored in the poem is isolation. The Coco-Fiend is a man who is isolated from the rest of the world, and he spends all of his time in Room 7. The room is described as being dark and dingy, which suggests that it is not a pleasant place to be. The fact that the Coco-Fiend spends all of his time in this room suggests that he has cut himself off from the rest of the world, and that he is unable to connect with other people.
The imagery used in the poem is also significant. The speaker describes the Coco-Fiend as having "eyes that are sunken and hollow," which suggests that he is a man who is consumed by his addiction. The fact that the room is described as being dark and dingy also adds to the overall sense of despair and hopelessness that is present in the poem. The musty smell that is described in the poem is also significant, as it suggests that the room is not a pleasant place to be.
The symbolism used in the poem is also significant. The fact that the Coco-Fiend is addicted to cocoa is symbolic of the destructive nature of addiction. Cocoa is a substance that is often associated with pleasure and comfort, but in this poem, it is shown to be a substance that can consume a person's life. The fact that the Coco-Fiend spends all of his time in Room 7 is also symbolic, as it suggests that he is trapped in his addiction and unable to break free.
In conclusion, Room 7: The Coco-Fiend by Robert Service is a haunting and captivating poem that explores the themes of addiction and isolation. The imagery and symbolism used in the poem contribute to the overall sense of despair and hopelessness that is present in the work. The poem is a powerful reminder of the destructive nature of addiction, and it serves as a warning to those who may be struggling with addiction themselves.
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