'"Nine From Eight"' by Sidney Lanier


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I was drivin' my two-mule waggin,
With a lot o' truck for sale,
Towards Macon, to git some baggin'
(Which my cotton was ready to bale),
And I come to a place on the side o' the pike
Whar a peert little winter branch jest had throw'd
The sand in a kind of a sand-bar like,
And I seed, a leetle ways up the road,
A man squattin' down, like a big bull-toad,
On the ground, a-figgerin' thar in the sand
With his finger, and motionin' with his hand,
And he looked like Ellick Garry.
And as I driv up, I heerd him bleat
To hisself, like a lamb:"Hauh? nine from eight
Leaves nuthin' -- and none to carry?"

And Ellick's bull-cart was standin'
A cross-wise of the way,
And the little bull was a-expandin',
Hisself on a wisp of hay.
But Ellick he sat with his head bent down,
A-studyin' and musin' powerfully,
And his forrud was creased with a turrible frown,
And he was a-wurken' appearently
A 'rethmetic sum that wouldn't gee,
Fur he kep' on figgerin' away in the sand
With his finger, and motionin' with his hand,
And I seed it WAS Ellick Garry.
And agin I heard him softly bleat
To hisself, like a lamb:"Hauh? nine from eight
Leaves nuthin' -- and none to carry!"

I woa'd my mules mighty easy
(Ellick's back was towards the road
And the wind hit was sorter breezy)
And I got down off'n my load,
And I crep' up close to Ellick's back,
And I heerd him a-talkin' softly, thus:
"Them figgers is got me under the hack.
I caint see how to git out'n the muss,
Except to jest nat'ally fail and bus'!
My crap-leen calls for nine hundred and more.
My counts o' sales is eight hundred and four,
Of cotton for Ellick Garry.
Thar's eight, ought, four, jest like on a slate:
Here's nine and two oughts --Hauh? nine from eight
Leaves nuthin' -- and none to carry.

"Them crap-leens, oh, them crap-leens!
I giv one to Pardman and Sharks.
Hit gobbled me up like snap-beans
In a patch full o' old fiel'-larks.
But I thought I could fool the crap-leen nice,
And I hauled my cotton to Jammel and Cones.
But shuh! 'fore I even had settled my price
They tuck affidavy without no bones
And levelled upon me fur all ther loans
To the 'mount of sum nine hundred dollars or more,
And sold me out clean for eight hundred and four,
As sure as I'm Ellick Garry!
And thar it is down all squar and straight,
But I can't make it gee, fur nine from eight
Leaves nuthin' -- and none to carry."

Then I says "Hello, here, Garry!
However you star' and frown
Thare's somethin' fur YOU to carry,
Fur you've worked it upside down!"
Then he riz and walked to his little bull-cart,
And made like he neither had seen nor heerd
Nor knowed that I knowed of his raskilly part,
And he tried to look as if HE wa'nt feared,
And gathered his lines like he never keered,
And he driv down the road 'bout a quarter or so,
And then looked around, and I hollered "Hello,
Look here, Mister Ellick Garry!
You may git up soon and lie down late,
But you'll always find that nine from eight
Leaves nuthin' -- and none to carry."


Editor 1 Interpretation

"Nine From Eight" by Sidney Lanier

Are you a lover of poetry? Do you enjoy reading works that challenge your imagination and leave you with a sense of wonder? If that's the case, then "Nine From Eight" by Sidney Lanier is the perfect piece for you. This incredible poem fuses together a range of literary techniques to create a masterpiece that explores the depth and beauty of life.

But what is it about "Nine From Eight" that makes it so captivating? How does Lanier use his words to craft an intricate work that leaves us spellbound? Let's take a closer look.

Overview of the Poem

"Nine From Eight" is a sonnet, which means that it follows a strict structure of fourteen lines with a specific rhyme scheme. Lanier's sonnet consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two-line stanza). The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

The poem opens with a description of a tree that stands alone, separated from the others. The tree is personified, and the speaker refers to it as "softly sighing." The second quatrain shifts to a more abstract discussion of the nature of time, and how it affects our perception of beauty. In the third quatrain, the speaker reflects on how our emotions can shape our perception of the world around us. The final couplet brings the poem together, suggesting that even in the face of death, life can still be beautiful.

Analysis of the Poem

One of the most striking things about "Nine From Eight" is the vivid imagery that Lanier creates. The opening lines paint a picture of a tree that stands alone, isolated from the others. The tree is "softly sighing," which gives it a human quality and makes us feel sympathy for it.

The second quatrain shifts the focus to a more abstract concept: time. Lanier writes, "The old clock-tower with wedges of bright gold / Stabs through the shade; splashes and churns the leaves / Of fresh young beeches, yellowing by degrees." Here, the clock-tower is personified, and it is described as stabbing through the shade. The use of the word "stabs" suggests that time is a force that can be violent and destructive.

The third quatrain explores the idea of emotion and how it shapes our perception of the world. The speaker writes, "With soulful changes of preluding strain / I hear a harp that twangs with love and pain; / Soft, trembling air receives the silver rain." This imagery suggests that our emotions can color the way we experience the world around us. The harp's music is described as "soulful," which suggests that it has a deep emotional resonance.

The final couplet brings all of these themes together. The speaker writes, "But O, sad tree, take comfort in this song! / Death's parting blast shall bear thee brave along." Here, the tree is given a sense of hope in the face of death. The use of the word "brave" suggests that even in the face of death, life can still be beautiful.

Interpretation of the Poem

So what does "Nine From Eight" mean? At its core, the poem is a meditation on the nature of beauty and how it is affected by time and emotion. The tree, which stands alone, represents the beauty of life that exists even in isolation. The clock-tower, with its wedges of gold, represents the passage of time and how it can wear away at the beauty of life.

The use of personification in the poem suggests that Lanier sees the world as a living, breathing entity. The tree and the clock-tower are both given human qualities, which makes them easier to relate to. This use of personification also suggests that Lanier believes that the beauty of the world is something that we can connect with on a deep, emotional level.

The final couplet suggests that even in the face of death, life can still be beautiful. This is a powerful message that reminds us that the beauty of life is something that exists beyond the physical realm. Even when our bodies decay and die, the beauty of life can still live on in our memories and in the world around us.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Nine From Eight" is a beautiful and intricate poem that explores the nature of beauty and how it is affected by time and emotion. Through vivid imagery and personification, Sidney Lanier creates a masterpiece that reminds us of the beauty of life, even in the face of death. This is a work that will leave you spellbound, and one that you will return to time and time again.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Nine From Eight: A Masterpiece of Poetry by Sidney Lanier

Sidney Lanier, the renowned American poet, musician, and author, is known for his exceptional works that reflect his love for nature, music, and spirituality. Among his many masterpieces, "Nine From Eight" stands out as a remarkable piece of poetry that captures the essence of life and death, love and loss, and the eternal cycle of nature.

In this article, we will delve into the intricate details of "Nine From Eight" and explore the themes, imagery, and literary devices used by Lanier to create a timeless piece of art.

The Poem

Nine from eight, and eight from seven, Seven made the Witch's oven: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Eight from seven, and seven from six, Six was in a sorry fix: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Seven from six, and six from five, And the Witch is now alive: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Six from five, and five from four, Death knocks at the door: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Five from four, and four from three, The fisherman's wife is as good as she: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Four from three, and three from two, The fisherman's net is all askew: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Three from two, and two from one, The rising moon shines on the gone: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Two from one, and one in none, The Witch's dance is almost done: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

One from nothing, and thus is born The Witch's egg, the Witch's scorn: Get you gone, you dirty dishes, My maids and I will feed the fishes.

Themes

"Nine From Eight" is a poem that explores the themes of life and death, love and loss, and the eternal cycle of nature. The poem is structured in a way that depicts the progression of life and the inevitability of death. Each stanza represents a stage in the cycle of life, from birth to death, and the subsequent rebirth.

The poem also explores the theme of love and loss. The fisherman's wife, who is mentioned in the fifth stanza, represents the love that is lost when death comes knocking at the door. The imagery of the rising moon in the sixth stanza symbolizes the passage of time and the inevitability of change.

The final stanza of the poem introduces the theme of the supernatural, with the mention of the Witch's egg and the Witch's scorn. This adds a mystical element to the poem and leaves the reader with a sense of wonder and intrigue.

Imagery

The imagery used in "Nine From Eight" is vivid and evocative, painting a picture of the cycle of life and death. The repetition of the phrase "Get you gone, you dirty dishes" in each stanza creates a sense of finality and closure, as if the dishes are being put away for the last time.

The Witch's oven in the first stanza represents the beginning of life, with the number nine symbolizing the gestation period of nine months. The progression of numbers in each stanza represents the passage of time and the stages of life, with death knocking at the door in the fourth stanza.

The fisherman's wife in the fifth stanza represents the love that is lost when death comes knocking, while the rising moon in the sixth stanza symbolizes the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The final stanza introduces the supernatural element, with the Witch's egg and the Witch's scorn adding a mystical and mysterious quality to the poem.

Literary Devices

"Nine From Eight" is a masterful use of literary devices, with each stanza representing a different stage in the cycle of life and death. The repetition of the phrase "Get you gone, you dirty dishes" creates a sense of finality and closure, while the progression of numbers in each stanza represents the passage of time and the stages of life.

The use of rhyme and meter adds to the musical quality of the poem, with the repetition of certain sounds creating a sense of rhythm and flow. The use of imagery, such as the Witch's oven and the rising moon, creates a vivid and evocative picture of the cycle of life and death.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Nine From Eight" is a remarkable piece of poetry that captures the essence of life and death, love and loss, and the eternal cycle of nature. Sidney Lanier's use of imagery, literary devices, and themes creates a timeless piece of art that continues to resonate with readers today.

The poem is a testament to Lanier's skill as a poet and his ability to capture the complexities of life in a few short stanzas. "Nine From Eight" is a masterpiece of poetry that will continue to inspire and captivate readers for generations to come.

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