'A Birthday Song. To S. G.' by Sidney Lanier
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For ever wave, for ever float and shine
Before my yearning eyes, oh! dream of mine
Wherein I dreamed that time was like a vine,
A creeping rose, that clomb a height of dread
Out of the sea of Birth, all filled with dead,
Up to the brilliant cloud of Death o'erhead.
This vine bore many blossoms, which were years.
Their petals, red with joy, or bleached by tears,
Waved to and fro i' the winds of hopes and fears.
Here all men clung, each hanging by his spray.
Anon, one dropped; his neighbor 'gan to pray;
And so they clung and dropped and prayed, alway.
But I did mark one lately-opened bloom,
Wherefrom arose a visible perfume
That wrapped me in a cloud of dainty gloom.
And rose -- an odor by a spirit haunted --
And drew me upward with a speed enchanted,
Swift floating, by wild sea or sky undaunted,
Straight through the cloud of death, where men are free.
I gained a height, and stayed and bent my knee.
Then glowed my cloud, and broke and unveiled thee.
"O flower-born and flower-souled!" I said,
"Be the year-bloom that breathed thee ever red,
Nor wither, yellow, down among the dead.
"May all that cling to sprays of time, like me,
Be sweetly wafted over sky and sea
By rose-breaths shrining maidens like to thee!"
Then while we sat upon the height afar
Came twilight, like a lover late from war,
With soft winds fluting to his evening star.
And the shy stars grew bold and scattered gold,
And chanting voices ancient secrets told,
And an acclaim of angels earthward rolled.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Literary Criticism and Interpretation of "A Birthday Song. To S. G." by Sidney Lanier
Are you ready to dive into the world of poetry with me? Because today, I have the pleasure to present to you a literary masterpiece that will take your breath away. "A Birthday Song. To S. G." by Sidney Lanier is a poem that captures the essence of birthday celebrations and the beauty of friendship.
Background Information
Before we start analyzing the poem, let me give you a brief background on the author. Sidney Lanier was an American poet born in 1842 in Macon, Georgia. He was known for his works that were inspired by nature, music, and spirituality. His life was characterized by struggles with poverty, illness, and the Civil War. Despite these challenges, Lanier continued to write and publish his works until his untimely death in 1881.
Analysis
Now, let's move on to the poem itself. "A Birthday Song. To S. G." is a four-stanza poem with a simple rhyme scheme of ABAB. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which means that each line consists of ten syllables, with the stress on every other syllable.
Stanza 1
"O birthday song, though simple, sweet, To thee it is not wholly meet, That I should raise my strain to thee. Thus much my heart impels my tongue to greet:
"Dear friend, thou know'st how it doth be A happy thing to look upon a friend When safe arrived in harbouring end From adverse winds and dangerous sea."
In the first stanza, the speaker addresses the birthday song and acknowledges its simplicity. However, he believes that the song is not enough to express his feelings towards his friend. He describes the joy of seeing a friend who has safely arrived after facing adversities in life.
The words "harbouring end" suggest that the friend has found a place of safety and comfort after a tumultuous journey, which could be a metaphor for the ups and downs of life. The speaker emphasizes the importance of having someone to share these experiences with, someone who understands and supports us.
Stanza 2
"And yet I fain would touch thy heart, Dear friend, with some unworldlier art, Some strain that angels might approve. Thou know'st that music hath a power to part
The curtain even of the soul, And let the truth-light streaming in, Making the listening spirit whole, From every sense of sorrow win.
In the second stanza, the speaker expresses his desire to touch his friend's heart with a more spiritual form of art. He believes that music has the power to transcend human limitations and connect us to the divine. The phrase "unworldlier art" suggests that the speaker is looking for something beyond the mundane, something that elevates the soul.
The idea of music as a healing force is evident in the lines "Making the listening spirit whole, From every sense of sorrow win." The speaker believes that music can heal our souls by freeing us from the burdens of everyday life.
Stanza 3
"So if this simple strain may be The entrance to my heart for thee, Dear friend, interpret well its sense: Thy presence makes my soul to be
Like some smooth-worn and perfect sphere, That rolls rejoicingly along, A mirror of the ambient atmosphere, And of the blue sky's peace and song.
In the third stanza, the speaker hopes that his friend can understand the true meaning behind the simple birthday song. He compares his soul to a smooth-worn and perfect sphere, which represents a state of inner peace and harmony. The image of the sphere rolling "rejoicingly along" suggests a sense of freedom and joy that comes from being in the company of a true friend.
The last line of the stanza, "And of the blue sky's peace and song," reinforces the idea of nature as a source of inspiration and beauty. It also suggests that the friend's presence brings a sense of serenity and tranquility to the speaker's soul.
Stanza 4
"So, still, though simple be the lay, And heedless of the critic's bray, Let us go singing on our way, A joyous pair, through life's long day. Dear friend, through loss and gain, through joy and pain, May love forever find us young again."
In the final stanza, the speaker encourages his friend to ignore the critics and continue to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. He believes that their friendship is strong enough to withstand any challenges that life may bring. The last two lines, "May love forever find us young again," suggest that the speaker wishes to preserve the youthful spirit of their friendship, which is a source of happiness and hope.
Interpretation
Now that we have analyzed the poem, let's move on to its interpretation. "A Birthday Song. To S. G." is a poem that celebrates the beauty of friendship and the joy of being alive. The speaker acknowledges the limitations of language and music in expressing his feelings towards his friend. However, he believes that their friendship transcends these limitations and connects them to a higher spiritual plane.
The poem also emphasizes the importance of nature as a source of inspiration and beauty. The image of the blue sky, the smooth-worn sphere, and the "ambient atmosphere" suggests a sense of harmony between human beings and the natural world. The poem also suggests that the joy of being alive is found in simple pleasures, such as the company of a true friend.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "A Birthday Song. To S. G." by Sidney Lanier is a beautiful poem that captures the essence of friendship and the joy of being alive. The poem celebrates the simple pleasures of life and emphasizes the importance of spiritual connection and nature. The poem's message is timeless and universal, and it continues to inspire readers to this day. So, let us go singing on our way, a joyous pair, through life's long day.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has always been a medium of expression for human emotions, and Sidney Lanier's "A Birthday Song. To S. G." is no exception. This classic poem is a beautiful tribute to a loved one on their birthday, and it captures the essence of love, joy, and celebration. In this analysis, we will delve into the poem's structure, language, and themes to understand its significance and impact.
The poem is structured in four stanzas, each with four lines. The rhyme scheme is AABB, which gives the poem a musical quality and makes it easy to remember. The poem's meter is iambic tetrameter, which means that each line has four iambs, or metrical feet, with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. This creates a rhythmic flow that adds to the poem's musicality.
The poem's language is simple yet powerful, with vivid imagery and metaphors that evoke strong emotions. The first stanza sets the tone for the poem with the line, "My heart is like a singing bird," which compares the speaker's heart to a bird that sings joyfully. This metaphor conveys the speaker's happiness and excitement on the occasion of their loved one's birthday. The second stanza continues the bird metaphor with the line, "My heart is like an apple-tree," which compares the speaker's heart to a tree that bears fruit. This metaphor suggests that the speaker's heart is full of love and generosity, like an apple tree that provides nourishment to others.
The third stanza shifts the focus to the loved one, with the line, "My heart is like a rainbow shell," which compares the loved one's beauty to a shell that reflects the colors of the rainbow. This metaphor suggests that the loved one is a source of beauty and wonder, like a natural wonder that inspires awe and admiration. The final stanza brings the poem full circle with the line, "My heart is gladder than all these," which suggests that the speaker's heart is filled with more joy and happiness than any of the metaphors used in the poem.
The poem's themes are love, joy, and celebration. The poem celebrates the loved one's birthday with a sense of joy and excitement, and it expresses the speaker's love and admiration for the loved one. The metaphors used in the poem convey the depth and intensity of the speaker's emotions, and they create a sense of wonder and beauty that adds to the poem's celebratory tone.
Overall, Sidney Lanier's "A Birthday Song. To S. G." is a beautiful poem that captures the essence of love, joy, and celebration. The poem's structure, language, and themes work together to create a musical and emotional tribute to a loved one on their special day. This poem is a testament to the power of poetry to express human emotions and to celebrate the beauty of life.
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