Critical Study: Poetry - Kenneth Slessor

The Poems

>> Out of Time
>> Five Bells
>> Sleep
>> Five Visions of Captain Cook
>> Sensuality

Critical Study: Poetry - Gwen Harwood

The Poems

>> Father and Child (Parts I & II)
>> The Violets
>> At Mornington
>> A Valediction
>> Triste Triste
>> The Sharpness of Death
>> Mother Who Gave Me Life’

Note: analysis of poems coming soon...

Critical Study: Poetry -- William Butler Yeats

Who Was W.B. Yeats?

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet (18XX-19XX)

Themes

The Poems
>> An Irish Airman
>> When You Are Old
>> Among School Children
>> The Wild Swans at Coole
>> Leda and the Swan
>> The Second Coming
>> Easter 1916

Poetry: Kenneth Slessor -- Sleep

1. What's it all about?
2. Other resources


1. What's it all about?

Overview

As the unambiguous simplicity of the title suggests, the poem is a celebration of sleep. The poet uses the extended metaphor of the relationship between a mother and child to describe the sanctuary of sleep. The process of sleeping each night is interpreted metaphorically as a return to the womb – a state of pre-conscious existence, safe from the harsh reality of consciousness and life.

Two voices are present in the poem – one voice is the personification of slumber, as mother and lover – the other voice is only heard briefly in the first stanza.

First Stanza

“Do you give yourself to me…?”: The poem is largely in the form of a direct address, beginning with a question, contributing to a sense of immediacy in the request.
“Do you give yourself…”: suggests the willing and voluntary surrender of one’s free will.
“Body and no-body, flesh and no flesh”: body and soul, completely. Note the balanced structure of this line, and the repetition of this idea, the complete offering of one’s self, is seen in the repetition of language “no-body… no-flesh”, which introduces the concept of the non-physical world of sleep.
“no-body… no-flesh… not… no other”: the repetition of this emphasises the absoluteness of their surrender.
“blindly or bitterly, / But…”: alliteration of the ‘b’ sound is soft, echoing quiet, peacefulness of slumber.
“But as a child might…”: introduces the idea of a child and its mother, which is developed as an extended metaphor from here.
“Yes, utterly”: This simple, brief italicised response is a contrast to the previous lines, establishing a second voice in the poem and a dialogue with the poetic persona. The conciseness, submissiveness of this response, echoing the ‘utterly’ of the first line, emphasises the complete trust and unwaveringness of the response and the dominance of the request – there is no hint of doubt in their response, they are completely under the influence of the voice of sleep in the poem, almost as if it were a narcotic.

Second Stanza

“Then I shall…”: The line, “yes, utterly” marks a point of surrender in the poem, and the poetic persona then begins to elaborate on what they will do now they have given themselves over to slumber.
“bear you down to my estuary”: An estuary is a passage at the mouth of a river, where the tide and current meet. This is the passage to sleep. The repetition of watery imagery in this stanza “estuary” “ferry you” “lave” (to wash) “waves” is used to reflect waves of sleep, and in turn, highlights the gentleness of the journey toward sleep.
“I shall bear you … carry you” echoes the carrying of a child by its mother, as the poet extends the idea of sleep as similar to the journey of birth. The aquatic imagery highlights this, as a foetus floating in the amniotic fluid of the womb. The poetic persona’s taking them to a “burial mysterious” is reflective of a child in the womb, often referred to as ‘the great mystery of birth’, echoed by the sexual connotation in the accumulation of “take you… receive you… consume you” similar to the consummation of a relationship and subsequent conception. The intimacy of these sexual connotations also allude to becoming one with a lover, and there is a tenderness in the tone of this stanza. The gentle, maternal tone also suggests how completely the mother/sleep surrounds and protects the subject of the poem.
“Estuary / Carry you… ferry you… mysteriously”: note the assonance brought about by the repetition of the ‘y’ and ‘ou’ vowel sounds, and constant beat of “you” echoing a human heartbeat. This is later emphasised in the alliterative reference to “heart my heart” in the third stanza. This is also enforced by the regularity internal rhyme, such as in “cave… lave”. This impression of a beating human heart not only gives the impression of a child in a mother’s “belly”, extending the birth metaphor, but is also a reference to love and protection. The tone of the poem and the direct use of second person in directly referring to “you” is highly personal. The constant repetition of “you” is almost verifying the close relationship between the two voices in the poem.
“In the huge cave”: Not only is this a reference to pregnancy, as in the womb of the mother, this is also reference to the cave of Morpheus. In Greek mythology, Morpheus was the god dreams, who lived in a cave, and hence to be “in the arms of Morpheus” is a common reference to being asleep. (Additionally, think of the dreamlike surrounds of the character Morpheus in the film The Matrix. Out of interest, the basis for the sedative ‘morphine’ can also be traced to ‘Morpheus’). The idea of a cave is also one of refuge, a dark place hidden from the world, enhancing the sense of security and safety of sleep/mother’s womb.
“Lave you / With huger waves”: to lave is to wash, also quite tender in tone, and the reference to waves serves a duel purpose, echoing the waves of sleep, but also the waves of contractions when nearing giving birth. These the intensity of these “continually” occurring waves, akin to birth contractions, are echoed by the increasing intensity of “huge” and “huger”. This could equally refer to the process of sexual intercourse and orgasm.

Third Stanza

“cling and clamber”: A similar tone continues in this stanza, starting with an alliterative description, much like a child in the womb.
“cling… clamber… slumber” “slumber… dumb chamber” “ beat… blood’s beat” “hear my heart” “blindly in bones”: Note the repetition of soft sounds ‘l’, ‘b’ and ‘h’, give the impression of a steady heartbeat, and a rhythmical lulling sense of slumber.
“dumb chamber”: the use of ‘dumb’ here (highlighted by the repetition and internal rhyme surrounding the ‘mb’ sound) is used to emphasis the muted, quietness, silence, of the womb/sleep.
“Beat with my blood’s beat, hear my heart move”: referencing a human heartbeat, placing them clearly within the mother’s body “my flesh”, so the mother and baby dissolve into one, similar to lovers or the sleeping and the world of dreams.
“Blindly”: much like a newborn child who is yet to open its eyes and see the world. The cumulative effect of these lines highlights the impression of a foetus unconsciously hearing the life beat around them.
“Delve… dissolved… viewless valves”: the repetition of the ‘v’ sound here marks a change as the rhythm of the poem increases, as the baby grows and progresses along its foetal journey, signifying change. The “viewless valves” mark the journey towards birth, where the unconscious self is now “embodied so” – that is, the foetus has grown to a full fleshed being, with birth, and consciousness being synonymous with the cessation of sleep.
“embodied so –”: The pause at the end of this stanza represents a climax in the poem, also figuratively, representing birth, and secondarily sexual climax, and awakening.

Fourth stanza

“Till daylight, the expulsion”: the tone in the fourth stanza is sharper, contrasting with the tone of the earlier sleepiness of the previous stanzas. The use of “Till” is quiet abrupt, representing sudden pain as the baby is thrust into the world, almost ripped from their mother’s womb and sanctuary of sleep, as reflected in the violent, definitive tone of “the expulsion”. The reference to “the” expulsion, as opposed to “an” expulsion emphasises the magnitude of this act, it is given almost biblical proportions, like that of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Eden.
“the riving and driving forth”: the sharp rhyming and repetition of the harsh ‘v’ sounds contrast with the softer alliteration and assonance of earlier stanzas, highlighting the pain and struggle of birth, and hence, life from this point onwards.
“Life with remorseless forceps”: the internal rhyme here not only contributes to the emotive tone and accelerated rhythm of this stanza, but the harshness of ‘s’ sounds connote the difficulties and unpleasantness of life, and hence, consciousness of life, as opposed to the security sanctuary of sleep.
“Pangs and betrayals of harsh birth”: Preceded by a long pause, this represents a powerful close to the poem, and echoes sentiments expressed by Irish poet W.B. Yeats, in his poem, Among School Children (see Stanza V). Closing the extended metaphor of birth, the directness the statement, and negative tone (“remorseless… pangs… betrayals… harsh”) connotes a sense of despondency and resignation to the harsh inevitability of life.

Poetry: William Butler Yeats -- An Irish Airman

1. The Poem
2. What's it all about?
3. Other resources

1. The Poem

I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.

2. What's it all about?
3. Other resources

Poetry: William Butler Yeats -- The Wild Swans at Coole

1. The Poem
2. What's it all about?
3. Other resources


1. The Poem

THE trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty Swans.

The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.

Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?


2. What's it all about?


3. Other resources

Poetry: William Butler Yeats -- When You Are Old

1. The Poem
2. What's it all about
3. Other resources


1. The Poem

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.


2. What's it all about?


3. Other resources

Poetry: William Butler Yeats -- The Second Coming

1. The Poem
2. What's it about?
3. Other resources

1. The Poem

TURNING and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?


2. What's it all about?

3. Other resources

Critical Study: Poetry -- William Butler Yeats -- Leda and the Swan

1. The Poem
2. What's it all about?
3. Other resources

1. The Poem

A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,
He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.

How can those terrified vague fingers push
The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?
And how can body, laid in that white rush,
But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?

A shudder in the loins engenders there
The broken wall, the burning roof and tower
And Agamemnon dead.

Being so caught up,
So mastered by the brute blood of the air,
Did she put on his knowledge with his power
Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?


2. What's it all about?

3. Other resources

Critical Study: Poetry -- William Butler Yeats -- Easter 1916

1. The Poem
2. What's it all about?
3. Other Resources


1. The Poem

I HAVE met them at close of day
Coming with vivid faces
From counter or desk among grey
Eighteenth-century houses.
I have passed with a nod of the head
Or polite meaningless words,
Or have lingered awhile and said
Polite meaningless words,
And thought before I had done
Of a mocking tale or a gibe
To please a companion
Around the fire at the club,
Being certain that they and I
But lived where motley is worn:
All changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

That woman's days were spent
In ignorant good-will,
Her nights in argument
Until her voice grew shrill.
What voice more sweet than hers
When, young and beautiful,
She rode to harriers?
This man had kept a school
And rode our winged horse;
This other his helper and friend
Was coming into his force;
He might have won fame in the end,
So sensitive his nature seemed,
So daring and sweet his thought.
This other man I had dreamed
A drunken, vainglorious lout.
He had done most bitter wrong
To some who are near my heart,
Yet I number him in the song;
He, too, has resigned his part
In the casual comedy;
He, too, has been changed in his turn,
Transformed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

Hearts with one purpose alone
Through summer and winter seem
Enchanted to a stone
To trouble the living stream.
The horse that comes from the road.
The rider, the birds that range
From cloud to tumbling cloud,
Minute by minute they change;
A shadow of cloud on the stream
Changes minute by minute;
A horse-hoof slides on the brim,
And a horse plashes within it;
The long-legged moor-hens dive,
And hens to moor-cocks call;
Minute by minute they live:
The stone's in the midst of all.

Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart.
O when may it suffice?
That is Heaven's part, our part
To murmur name upon name,
As a mother names her child
When sleep at last has come
On limbs that had run wild.
What is it but nightfall?
No, no, not night but death;
Was it needless death after all?
For England may keep faith
For all that is done and said.
We know their dream; enough
To know they dreamed and are dead;
And what if excess of love
Bewildered them till they died?
I write it out in a verse -
MacDonagh and MacBride
And Connolly and Pearse
Now and in time to be,
Wherever green is worn,
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

2. What's it all about?

3. Other Resources

Critical Study: Poetry -- William Butler Yeats -- Among School Children

Among School Children

1. The Poem
2. The Meaning
3. Other Resources

1. The Poem

I
I walk through the long schoolroom questioning;
A kind old nun in a white hood replies;
The children learn to cipher and to sing,
To study reading-books and history,
To cut and sew, be neat in everything
In the best modern way - the children's eyes
In momentary wonder stare upon
A sixty-year-old smiling public man.

II
I dream of a Ledaean body, bent
Above a sinking fire. A tale that she
Told of a harsh reproof, or trivial event
That changed some childish day to tragedy -
Told, and it seemed that our two natures blent
Into a sphere from youthful sympathy,
Or else, to alter Plato's parable,
Into the yolk and white of the one shell.

III
And thinking of that fit of grief or rage
I look upon one child or t'other there
And wonder if she stood so at that age -
For even daughters of the swan can share
Something of every paddler's heritage -
And had that colour upon cheek or hair,
And thereupon my heart is driven wild:
She stands before me as a living child.

IV
Her present image floats into the mind -
Did Quattrocento finger fashion it
Hollow of cheek as though it drank the wind
And took a mess of shadows for its meat?
And I though never of Ledaean kind
Had pretty plumage once - enough of that,
Better to smile on all that smile, and show
There is a comfortable kind of old scarecrow.

V
What youthful mother, a shape upon her lap
Honey of generation had betrayed,
And that must sleep, shriek, struggle to escape
As recollection or the drug decide,
Would think her Son, did she but see that shape
With sixty or more winters on its head,
A compensation for the pang of his birth,
Or the uncertainty of his setting forth?

VI
Plato thought nature but a spume that plays
Upon a ghostly paradigm of things;
Solider Aristotle played the taws
Upon the bottom of a king of kings;
World-famous golden-thighed Pythagoras
Fingered upon a fiddle-stick or strings
What a star sang and careless Muses heard:
Old clothes upon old sticks to scare a bird.

VII
Both nuns and mothers worship images,
But those the candles light are not as those
That animate a mother's reveries,
But keep a marble or a bronze repose.
And yet they too break hearts - O presences
That passion, piety or affection knows,
And that all heavenly glory symbolise -
O self-born mockers of man's enterprise;

VIII
Labour is blossoming or dancing where
The body is not bruised to pleasure soul.
Nor beauty born out of its own despair,
Nor blear-eyed wisdom out of midnight oil.
O chestnut-tree, great-rooted blossomer,
Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole?
O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?

Other Resources
Audio: A 12-minute discussion and explanation of the poem by Professor Helen Vendler
>> Listen here