'My Consolation' by Robert Service
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Rhymes for My Rags'Nay; I don't need a hearing aid'I told Mama-in-law;
'For if I had I'd be afraidOf your eternal jaw;
Although at me you often shout,I'm undisturbed;
To tell the truth I can't make outA single word.'And it's the same with others whoAttempt to gab at me;
I listen to their point of viewAnd solemnly agree.
To story stale and silly jokeStone deaf's my ear;
Each day a dozen stupid folkI fail to hear.So silence that should be my griefIs my escape and shield;
From spiteful speech and base reliefMy aural sense is sealed.
And in my cosy cot of peaceI close the door.
Praising the gods for rich reliefFrom fool and bore.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Consolation of Poetry: An Analysis of Robert Service’s “My Consolation”
Have you ever been so lost in despair that even the simplest things seem too hard to bear? Have you ever felt like giving up on life altogether? In times like these, what can we turn to for comfort and solace? For Robert Service, the answer was poetry.
Robert Service was a renowned Scottish-Canadian poet known for his narrative ballads and stories. He was born in 1874 in Preston, Lancashire, and emigrated to Canada at the age of 21 to work as a bank clerk. In his spare time, he wrote poetry, and by the turn of the century, he had become one of the most popular poets of his day.
One of his most famous poems is “My Consolation,” which was first published in 1907 in his collection “Ballads of a Cheechako.” In this poem, Service reflects on the power of poetry to provide comfort and hope even in the darkest of times.
The Poem
“My Consolation” is a short poem consisting of four stanzas of four lines each. The poem is written in a simple rhyme scheme of ABAB, with each stanza ending in the refrain “My consolation.”
The poem begins with the speaker describing his state of mind:
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,
And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste.
My consolation.
The lines are a reference to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30, in which the speaker laments the loss of his youth, his friends, and his loves. The speaker in Service’s poem echoes this sentiment, sighing for all the things he has lost and the time he has wasted.
But then the speaker turns to poetry as his source of comfort:
And then the peace that Poetry brings,
So sweet, so soothing, with her magic wand
Comes to my soul, and like a seraph sings
My consolation.
To the speaker, poetry is like a balm for his troubled soul. The peace it brings is sweet and soothing, and it has the power to transport him to a better place. The metaphor of the “magic wand” suggests that poetry has the power to transform the speaker’s reality, to make the unbearable bearable.
In the third stanza, the speaker describes the specific ways in which poetry provides him with comfort:
And when Life’s bitter storms assail,
With all their elemental rage and din,
With ardour bold I mount the singing gale,
My consolation.
Here, the speaker suggests that poetry gives him the strength to face life’s trials and tribulations. Instead of being beaten down by the storms of life, he is able to rise above them with “ardour bold.” The metaphor of “mount[ing] the singing gale” suggests that the speaker is able to harness the power of the storm and use it to propel himself forward.
Finally, in the last stanza, the speaker sums up his thoughts:
So when this world of ours grows drear,
And life’s sweet cup is mingled bitter meed,
I find a haven in His heart sincere,
My consolation.
The speaker suggests that when the world grows dark and bitter, he finds solace in God’s “heart sincere.” The use of religious imagery suggests that poetry is a kind of divine gift, something that has the power to connect us to a higher power and give us hope for the future.
Analysis
“My Consolation” is a poem about the power of poetry to provide comfort and solace in the face of life’s trials and tribulations. At its heart, the poem is an expression of the human need for consolation, for something to hold onto when everything else seems to be slipping away.
The poem is structured around the refrain “My consolation,” which serves as a kind of anchor for the speaker’s thoughts. Each stanza ends with this phrase, emphasizing the central role that poetry plays in the speaker’s life.
The poem is also notable for its use of religious imagery. The speaker refers to poetry as a “magic wand” and describes it as a kind of divine gift. The use of such language suggests that poetry has the power to transport us beyond ourselves, to connect us to something greater than ourselves.
The poem is also notable for its use of allusion. The opening lines are a direct reference to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30, and the use of such a well-known work serves to place Service’s poem in a larger literary tradition. By referencing Shakespeare, Service is suggesting that poetry has been a source of comfort and consolation for centuries, and that his own work is part of this larger tradition.
Finally, the poem is notable for its simplicity. The language is straightforward and easy to understand, and the rhyme scheme is simple and unobtrusive. This simplicity serves to emphasize the central message of the poem—that poetry has the power to provide comfort and hope even in the darkest of times.
Conclusion
In “My Consolation,” Robert Service reflects on the power of poetry to provide comfort and solace in the face of life’s trials and tribulations. Through the use of religious imagery, allusion, and simple language, Service suggests that poetry has the power to transport us beyond ourselves, to connect us to something greater than ourselves.
For Service, poetry was not merely a form of entertainment or a means of self-expression; it was a source of hope and consolation in a world that could be dark and bitter. And for those of us who have ever felt lost or alone, his words serve as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still beauty and solace to be found in the written word.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
My Consolation by Robert Service: A Poetic Masterpiece
As a lover of poetry, I have come across several works that have left me in awe. However, one piece that stands out for me is "My Consolation" by Robert Service. This poem is a true masterpiece that captures the essence of love, loss, and the power of memories. In this article, I will provide a detailed analysis and explanation of this classic poem.
Background Information
Robert Service was a Scottish-Canadian poet and writer who lived from 1874 to 1958. He is best known for his poems about the Yukon and the Klondike Gold Rush, which he experienced firsthand. Service's writing style is characterized by its simplicity, humor, and accessibility. He wrote in a way that made his work relatable to the common man, and his poems often dealt with universal themes such as love, death, and the human condition.
"My Consolation" was first published in Service's 1912 collection of poems, "Rhymes of a Red Cross Man." The poem is written in Service's signature style, with simple language and a clear narrative. It tells the story of a man who has lost his love and finds solace in his memories of her.
Analysis
The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with four lines. The rhyme scheme is AABB, which gives the poem a sing-song quality. The first stanza sets the scene and introduces the main character. The second stanza describes the man's memories of his lost love, and the third stanza provides a resolution.
The first stanza begins with the line, "All my life I've loved you." This line sets the tone for the poem and establishes the theme of love. The next line, "But I haven't told you yet," creates a sense of regret and missed opportunity. The third line, "I've kept it locked inside my heart," suggests that the man has been holding back his feelings for some time. The final line of the stanza, "And that's the hardest part," emphasizes the difficulty of keeping one's feelings hidden.
The second stanza is the heart of the poem. It begins with the line, "Secretly I'm sure you knew," which suggests that the man's love was not entirely unrequited. The next two lines, "For there was love in everything you did," and "And love in all you said," describe the woman's character and personality. These lines paint a picture of a kind, loving, and generous person who was deeply loved by the man.
The final line of the second stanza, "But the love in the heart of me," is the most powerful line in the poem. It suggests that the man's love for the woman was so strong that it consumed him. The use of the word "heart" emphasizes the emotional intensity of the man's feelings.
The third stanza provides a resolution to the poem. It begins with the line, "Has waited long to be expressed," which suggests that the man has finally found the courage to express his feelings. The next line, "But now I have to say," creates a sense of urgency and finality. The third line, "That I love you more each passing day," is a declaration of the man's love. The final line, "My love, my life, my all," is a powerful statement of devotion and commitment.
Themes
The poem deals with several themes, including love, loss, regret, and the power of memories. The theme of love is the most prominent, as the poem is essentially a love letter to the woman who has captured the man's heart. The theme of loss is also present, as the man has lost his love and is left with only memories. The theme of regret is evident in the first stanza, where the man expresses his regret at not having told the woman of his love. Finally, the theme of the power of memories is present throughout the poem, as the man finds solace in his memories of his lost love.
Conclusion
"My Consolation" is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the essence of love, loss, and the power of memories. Robert Service's simple yet effective writing style makes the poem accessible to all readers, and the themes it explores are universal and timeless. The poem is a testament to the enduring power of love and the importance of expressing one's feelings. It is a true masterpiece of poetry and a must-read for anyone who appreciates the beauty of language and the power of emotion.
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