'Insomnia' by Robert Service

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Ballads of a Bohemian (Book 1)Heigh ho! to sleep I vainly try;
Since twelve I haven't closed an eye,
And now it's three, and as I lie,
From Notre Dame to St. Denis
The bells of Paris chime to me;
"You're young," they say, "and strong and free."I do not turn with sighs and groans
To ease my limbs, to rest my bones,
As if my bed were stuffed with stones,
No peevish murmur tips my tongue --
Ah no! for every sound upflung
Says: "Lad, you're free and strong and young."And so beneath the sheet's caress
My body purrs with happiness;
Joy bubbles in my veins. . . . Ah yes,
My very blood that leaps along
Is chiming in a joyous song,
Because I'm young and free and strong.Maybe it is the springtide. I am so happy I am afraid.The sense of living fills me with exultation. I want to sing,to dance; I am dithyrambic with delight.I think the moon must be to blame:
It fills the room with fairy flame;
It paints the wall, it seems to pour
A dappled flood upon the floor.
I rise and through the window stare . . .
Ye gods! how marvelously fair!
From Montrouge to the Martyr's Hill,
A silver city rapt and still;
Dim, drowsy deeps of opal haze,
And spire and dome in diamond blaze;
The little lisping leaves of spring
Like sequins softly glimmering;
Each roof a plaque of argent sheen,
A gauzy gulf the space between;
Each chimney-top a thing of grace,
Where merry moonbeams prank and chase;
And all that sordid was and mean,
Just Beauty, deathless and serene.O magic city of a dream!
From glory unto glory gleam;
And I will gaze and pity those
Who on their pillows drowse and doze . . .
And as I've nothing else to do,
Of tea I'll make a rousing brew,
And coax my pipes until they croon,
And chant a ditty to the moon.There! my tea is black and strong. Inspiration comes withevery sip. Now for the moon.The moon peeped out behind the hill
As yellow as an apricot;
Then up and up it climbed until
Into the sky it fairly got;
The sky was vast and violet;
The poor moon seemed to faint in fright,
And pale it grew and paler yet,
Like fine old silver, rinsed and bright.
And yet it climbed so bravely on
Until it mounted heaven-high;
Then earthward it serenely shone,
A silver sovereign of the sky,
A bland sultana of the night,
Surveying realms of lily light.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Insomnia by Robert Service: A Dreamlike Journey Through the Night

Have you ever had a sleepless night, tossing and turning in bed, unable to shut off your thoughts, your worries, your regrets? If so, you might relate to Robert Service's poem "Insomnia," a haunting meditation on the psychological and metaphysical dimensions of insomnia.

First published in Service's collection "Rhymes of a Red Cross Man" in 1916, "Insomnia" is one of his most famous and beloved poems, and for good reason. It captures with vivid imagery and musical language the inner turmoil and disorientation of a sleepless mind, while also touching upon deeper existential questions about the nature of reality, time, and human existence.

The Structure and Language of Insomnia

Let's start with the structure and language of the poem. "Insomnia" consists of six stanzas of varying length and rhyme scheme, with the first and last stanzas being identical. The repetition of the opening and closing lines creates a circular, almost hypnotic effect, reflecting the cyclical and recursive nature of insomnia itself.

The language of the poem is highly musical and evocative, with a strong emphasis on alliteration, assonance, and internal rhyme. Consider the opening lines:

Thin are the night-skirts left behind
By daybreak hours that onward creep,
And thin, alas! the shred of sleep
That wavers with the spirit's wind:

Here we have a series of "th" and "s" sounds that create a soft and eerie atmosphere, like a whisper in the dark. Notice also the use of "night-skirts" and "daybreak hours," which personify time and lend a surreal quality to the imagery.

Throughout the poem, Service uses a variety of poetic devices to convey the restless and fragmented nature of insomnia. For example, he employs enjambment to break lines and blur boundaries between thoughts and images:

The lone lamp burns; its ray has caught
The portrait by the green-shaded lamp.
The portrait that smiles, but will not speak,

He also uses repetition, as in the refrain "And in my heart there stirs a peace," which serves as a counterpoint to the restlessness and agitation of the preceding lines.

The Psychological and Metaphysical Dimensions of Insomnia

But beyond its formal qualities, "Insomnia" is a poem that delves deep into the psyche of the sleepless mind, exploring both its mundane and mystical aspects. On the one hand, we have the speaker's mundane preoccupations with everyday worries and regrets:

I think of what the morrow brings,
Of roadways fraught with moving things,
Of skies that weep, of wind that blows,
Of change and chance and all life's woes;

These lines reflect the speaker's anxiety about the future, his fear of uncertainty and instability. They also convey a sense of being trapped in one's own thoughts, unable to escape the cycle of rumination and anticipation.

On the other hand, we have the speaker's mystical and metaphysical musings, which take on a dreamlike and hallucinatory quality as the night wears on:

I see the stars, I feel the roll
Of the earth beneath my feet;
I feel the pubescent urge of Soul,
And know that Life is infinitely sweet.

Here we have a sudden shift in tone and perspective, as the speaker's attention turns from his own concerns to the cosmic and spiritual dimensions of existence. The images of stars and rolling earth suggest a cosmic perspective, while the reference to the "pubescent urge of Soul" hints at a deeper, more mystical experience of the self.

And yet, even as the speaker reaches for transcendence, he is pulled back by the reality of his own body and mind:

And poignant joy, and sweet, sweet pain,
As melodies that surge and die
Now shriek and storm, now faint and sigh,
Now lure, and now refrain:

These lines suggest the paradoxical and often contradictory nature of human experience, where joy and pain, beauty and ugliness, light and darkness, are inextricably intertwined. The use of musical imagery reinforces this idea, as music is often seen as a universal language that can express the full range of human emotions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Insomnia" is a remarkable poem that captures with great sensitivity and insight the inner world of a sleepless mind. It combines formal virtuosity with psychological and metaphysical depth, creating a dreamlike journey through the night that is both haunting and illuminating. Whether you suffer from insomnia yourself or not, this poem is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with their own thoughts and emotions in the dark hours of the night.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Insomnia: A Masterpiece by Robert Service

Are you familiar with the feeling of being unable to sleep? The tossing and turning, the endless thoughts running through your mind, and the frustration of not being able to find rest? Robert Service, a renowned poet, captures this feeling perfectly in his poem "Insomnia."

"Insomnia" is a poem that speaks to the heart of anyone who has ever struggled with sleeplessness. It is a masterful piece of writing that captures the essence of the human experience in a way that is both relatable and profound.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the feeling of lying in bed, unable to sleep. The imagery is vivid and powerful, with the speaker describing the "sable skies" and the "silent stars" that seem to mock his inability to find rest. The use of alliteration in these lines adds to the sense of frustration and despair that the speaker is feeling.

As the poem continues, the speaker begins to describe the thoughts that are running through his mind. He speaks of "old regrets" and "new fears," of "phantom joys" and "phantom tears." The use of the word "phantom" here is particularly effective, as it suggests that these thoughts are not real, but rather figments of the speaker's imagination.

The poem then takes a turn, as the speaker begins to describe the beauty of the world around him. He speaks of the "silver moon" and the "dewy grass," of the "whispering trees" and the "rippling streams." The contrast between the beauty of the world and the speaker's inability to appreciate it is striking, and it serves to highlight the depth of his despair.

The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful. The speaker describes the feeling of being trapped in his own mind, unable to escape the thoughts that are keeping him awake. He speaks of the "cruel bars" that keep him imprisoned, and of the "dreadful door" that he cannot open. The use of the word "dreadful" here is particularly effective, as it suggests that the speaker is not only frustrated but also afraid.

Overall, "Insomnia" is a masterpiece of poetry. It captures the essence of the human experience in a way that is both relatable and profound. The use of vivid imagery, powerful language, and effective metaphors all serve to create a sense of frustration and despair that is palpable. If you have ever struggled with sleeplessness, then this poem is sure to resonate with you.

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