'In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart' by Delmore Schwartz
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In the slight ripple, the fishes dart
Like fingers, centrifugal, like wishes
Wanton. And pleasures riseas the eyes fallThrough the lucid water. The small pebble,The clear clay bottom, the white shell
Are apparent, though superficial.Who would ask more of the August afternoon?Who would dig mines and follow shadows?"I would," answers bored Heart, "Lounger, rise"
(Underlip trembling, face white with stony anger),
"The old error, the thought of sitting still,"The senses drinking, by the summer river,"On the tended lawn, below the traffic,"As if time would pause,and afternoon stay.
"No, night comes soon,
"With its cold mountains, with desolation,unless Love build its city."
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart: A Critical Analysis
"Poetry, In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart" is a beautiful and intricate poem written by Delmore Schwartz. In this essay, I will analyze the poem and provide a detailed interpretation of its meaning.
The Poem
In the slight ripple,
The mind perceives the heart,
It is not in speech,
But in music that we reach
The heart's most secret part.
It is not in the laughter,
Nor in the tears we weep,
But in the music of the soul
That we find the heart to keep.
And though the world may mock us,
And say our love is vain,
We know that in this music
Is the heart's unending strain.
So let the world keep laughing,
We'll keep our music true,
For in the slight ripple
The mind perceives the heart anew.
Analysis
The poem begins with the image of a slight ripple. This ripple represents the subtle movements of the heart, which are often hard to discern. The mind is able to perceive these movements, but not through speech. Instead, it is through music that we are able to understand the heart's most secret parts.
Schwartz emphasizes the power of music in this poem. He believes that it is through music that we are able to reach the heart's deepest emotions. Music is able to evoke emotions in a way that words cannot. It is through the melody and rhythm of music that we are able to connect with our emotions on a deeper level.
The second stanza focuses on the contrast between laughter and tears and the music of the soul. Schwartz believes that it is not through laughter or tears that we find the heart to keep, but through the music of the soul. The music of the soul is a deep and powerful force that is able to sustain us even in the darkest of times.
The third stanza acknowledges the fact that the world may mock us for our love. However, Schwartz believes that it is in this music that we find the heart's unending strain. Our love may be mocked by the world, but it is through this music that we are able to connect with each other on a deeper level.
The final stanza reinforces the power of music. Schwartz encourages us to keep our music true, even if the world continues to laugh at us. He believes that in the slight ripple, the mind perceives the heart anew. It is through music that we are able to constantly rediscover and reconnect with our emotions.
Interpretation
The poem "Poetry, In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart" is a powerful exploration of the role of music in our emotional lives. Schwartz believes that it is through music that we are able to connect with our emotions on a deeper level. He emphasizes the power of music to evoke emotions in a way that words cannot.
The poem is also a meditation on the importance of love. Schwartz acknowledges that the world may mock us for our love, but he believes that it is through this love that we are able to connect with each other on a deeper level. Love is a powerful force that is able to sustain us even in the darkest of times.
Overall, "Poetry, In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart" is a beautiful and intricate poem that explores the power of music and love. Schwartz's use of imagery and language is masterful, and his message is both powerful and moving. This poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to speak to the human heart.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has always been a medium for expressing the deepest emotions and thoughts of the human mind. Delmore Schwartz's "Poetry In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart" is a classic example of how poetry can capture the essence of human emotions and experiences. In this 14-line poem, Schwartz explores the relationship between the mind and the heart, and how they are interconnected.
The poem begins with the line "In the slight ripple, the mind perceives the heart." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it suggests that there is a connection between the mind and the heart. The "slight ripple" could refer to a small disturbance or change in the heart, which the mind is able to perceive. This could be a physical sensation, such as a flutter or a palpitation, or an emotional one, such as a sudden feeling of joy or sadness.
The second line of the poem, "The heart replies, and changes the mind's perceptions," reinforces the idea that the heart and mind are interconnected. The heart is not just a passive recipient of the mind's perceptions, but it also has the power to change the mind's perceptions. This could mean that the heart can influence the way we think and feel about things, or it could mean that the heart can change our physical sensations.
The third line of the poem, "Poetry is the means by which the heart perceives," introduces the idea that poetry is a way for the heart to express itself. Poetry is not just a form of art, but it is also a way for us to connect with our emotions and express them in a meaningful way. The heart, which is often associated with emotions, is able to use poetry as a means of communication.
The fourth line of the poem, "And the mind replies to poetry, and is a means of experiencing the heart," completes the circle of the mind-heart connection. The mind is not just a passive recipient of poetry, but it is also a way for us to experience the heart. Poetry can evoke emotions and feelings in us, and the mind is able to process and interpret these emotions.
The fifth line of the poem, "Thus, poetry is a means of experiencing the self," takes the idea of the mind-heart connection one step further. Poetry is not just a means of experiencing the heart, but it is also a way for us to experience ourselves. Through poetry, we are able to connect with our inner selves and explore our emotions and thoughts.
The sixth line of the poem, "And the self is a means of experiencing the world," suggests that our inner selves are connected to the world around us. Our experiences and emotions are not just isolated to ourselves, but they are also influenced by the world around us. This line also reinforces the idea that poetry is not just a form of art, but it is also a way for us to connect with the world around us.
The seventh and eighth lines of the poem, "Thus, poetry is a means of experiencing the world through the self," and "And the self is a means of experiencing the world through poetry," further explore the relationship between poetry, the self, and the world. Poetry is not just a way for us to experience ourselves and the world, but it is also a way for us to connect the two. The self is not just a passive recipient of the world around us, but it is also a way for us to interpret and understand the world through poetry.
The ninth line of the poem, "Thus, poetry is a means of experiencing the heart through the world," brings the focus back to the heart. Poetry is not just a means of experiencing the self and the world, but it is also a way for us to connect with our hearts through the world. The world around us can influence our emotions and feelings, and poetry is a way for us to express and understand these emotions.
The tenth line of the poem, "And the world is a means of experiencing poetry through the heart," completes the circle of the mind-heart-world connection. The world is not just a passive recipient of poetry, but it is also a way for us to experience poetry through our hearts. The world can inspire us to write poetry, and it can also influence the way we interpret and understand poetry.
The eleventh line of the poem, "Thus, poetry is a means of experiencing the heart through the mind," brings the focus back to the mind-heart connection. Poetry is not just a way for us to experience the heart through the world, but it is also a way for us to connect with our hearts through our minds. The mind is able to process and interpret the emotions and feelings that the heart expresses through poetry.
The twelfth line of the poem, "And the mind is a means of experiencing poetry through the heart," completes the circle of the mind-heart-poetry connection. The mind is not just a passive recipient of poetry, but it is also a way for us to experience poetry through our hearts. The mind is able to interpret and understand the emotions and feelings that poetry expresses, and it is also able to connect these emotions and feelings to our hearts.
The thirteenth line of the poem, "Thus, poetry is a means of experiencing the self through the heart," brings the focus back to the self. Poetry is not just a way for us to experience the heart through the mind, but it is also a way for us to connect with our inner selves through our hearts. Poetry is a way for us to express and understand our emotions and thoughts, and it is also a way for us to connect with our inner selves.
The final line of the poem, "And the heart is a means of experiencing poetry through the self," completes the circle of the mind-heart-self-poetry connection. The heart is not just a passive recipient of poetry, but it is also a way for us to experience poetry through our inner selves. The heart is able to connect with our emotions and feelings, and it is also able to interpret and understand the emotions and feelings expressed in poetry.
In conclusion, Delmore Schwartz's "Poetry In The Slight Ripple, The Mind Perceives The Heart" is a beautiful and complex exploration of the mind-heart-world-poetry connection. Through this poem, Schwartz shows us how poetry can be a means of experiencing ourselves, the world around us, and our innermost emotions and thoughts. Poetry is not just a form of art, but it is also a way for us to connect with our hearts and minds, and to understand the world around us in a deeper and more meaningful way.
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