'Whales Weep Not!' by D.H. Lawrence

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They say the sea is cold, but the sea contains
the hottest blood of all, and the wildest, the most urgent.All the whales in the wider deeps, hot are they, as they urge
on and on, and dive beneath the icebergs.
The right whales, the sperm-whales, the hammer-heads, the killers
there they blow, there they blow, hot wild white breath out ofthe sea!And they rock, and they rock, through the sensual ageless ages
on the depths of the seven seas,
and through the salt they reel with drunk delight
and in the tropics tremble they with love
and roll with massive, strong desire, like gods.
Then the great bull lies up against his bride
in the blue deep bed of the sea,
as mountain pressing on mountain, in the zest of life:
and out of the inward roaring of the inner red ocean of whale-blood
the long tip reaches strong, intense, like the maelstrom-tip, andcomes to rest
in the clasp and the soft, wild clutch of a she-whale'sfathomless body.And over the bridge of the whale's strong phallus, linking thewonder of whales
the burning archangels under the sea keep passing, back andforth,
keep passing, archangels of bliss
from him to her, from her to him, great Cherubim
that wait on whales in mid-ocean, suspended in the waves of thesea
great heaven of whales in the waters, old hierarchies.And enormous mother whales lie dreaming suckling their whale-tender young
and dreaming with strange whale eyes wide open in the waters ofthe beginning and the end.And bull-whales gather their women and whale-calves in a ring
when danger threatens, on the surface of the ceaseless flood
and range themselves like great fierce Seraphim facing the threat
encircling their huddled monsters of love.
And all this happens in the sea, in the salt
where God is also love, but without words:
and Aphrodite is the wife of whales
most happy, happy she!and Venus among the fishes skips and is a she-dolphin
she is the gay, delighted porpoise sporting with love and the sea
she is the female tunny-fish, round and happy among the males
and dense with happy blood, dark rainbow bliss in the sea.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Whales Weep Not! by D.H. Lawrence: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation

"Whales Weep Not!" is a poem written by D.H. Lawrence in 1923, and it is a masterpiece of modernist poetry. The poem explores the relationship between humans and whales, and it is a powerful expression of Lawrence's ecological consciousness and his belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Overview

The poem is structured into four stanzas, each consisting of six lines. The poem is written in free verse and does not follow a consistent rhyme or meter. The title of the poem is borrowed from a line in Herman Melville's classic novel, "Moby Dick," which is also about whales.

The poem begins with a description of a whale swimming in the ocean, and the narrator observes that "the whale is doomed." The whale and its mate are "lonely creatures" that are "outcast and ostracized" by the other creatures in the ocean. The second stanza of the poem explores the relationship between humans and whales. The narrator imagines the whaling ships that hunt the whales and the cruelty of the whalers who kill them. The third stanza is a meditation on the nature of life and death, and the fourth and final stanza is an expression of the narrator's belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Analysis

The poem is a powerful expression of Lawrence's ecological consciousness and his belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings. Lawrence was deeply concerned about the environmental destruction caused by human activity, and he saw the exploitation of whales as a particularly egregious example of this. The poem is a condemnation of the cruelty of whalers and a plea for a more compassionate relationship between humans and the natural world.

The poem is also a meditation on the nature of life and death. The narrator observes that "death is life" and that there is no real separation between the two. The whale is "doomed" because it is part of the natural cycle of life and death. The poem suggests that humans need to accept their own mortality and to recognize their place within the natural world.

The fourth stanza of the poem is particularly powerful, as it expresses Lawrence's belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings. The narrator observes that "all things connect" and that there is no real separation between humans and the natural world. The poem suggests that humans need to recognize their place within the larger ecological system and to act with compassion and responsibility towards all living beings.

Interpretation

"Whales Weep Not!" is a poem that speaks to our contemporary ecological crisis. The poem is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all living beings and the need for a more compassionate relationship between humans and the natural world.

The poem is also a meditation on the nature of life and death. The narrator suggests that death is not something to be feared or avoided, but rather something that is part of the natural cycle of life. The poem suggests that humans need to accept their own mortality and to recognize their place within the natural world.

At a deeper level, the poem can be seen as a commentary on the human condition. The whale and its mate are "lonely creatures" that are "outcast and ostracized" by the other creatures in the ocean. This can be seen as a metaphor for the human experience of loneliness and isolation. The poem suggests that humans need to recognize their own vulnerability and to act with compassion towards one another.

Conclusion

"Whales Weep Not!" is a beautiful and powerful poem that speaks to our contemporary ecological crisis and our need for a more compassionate relationship with the natural world. The poem is a meditation on the interconnectedness of all living beings and the need for humans to recognize their place within the larger ecological system. The poem is also a commentary on the human condition, suggesting that humans need to recognize their own vulnerability and to act with compassion towards one another. Overall, "Whales Weep Not!" is a masterpiece of modernist poetry and a timeless expression of ecological consciousness.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry is a form of art that has the power to evoke emotions and stir the soul. One such poem that has stood the test of time is "Whales Weep Not!" by D.H. Lawrence. This classic poem is a beautiful and poignant piece that explores the nature of whales and their relationship with the sea. In this analysis, we will delve deeper into the themes and motifs of the poem and explore the reasons why it has become a timeless classic.

The poem begins with the line "They say the sea is cold, but the sea contains the hottest blood of all." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it immediately draws the reader's attention to the power and mystery of the sea. The sea is not just a body of water, but a living entity that contains the essence of life itself. The use of the word "hot" to describe the sea's blood is significant, as it suggests that the sea is not just a passive force, but an active and dynamic one.

The next few lines of the poem describe the nature of whales and their relationship with the sea. Lawrence writes, "The whales are in the sea, and they are part of the sea; the blue of the whale is the deepest blue of the sea." This line emphasizes the connection between whales and the sea, as they are not just creatures that live in the sea, but an integral part of it. The use of the word "blue" to describe the whale's color is also significant, as it suggests that the whale is not just a physical entity, but a spiritual one as well.

The poem then takes a darker turn, as Lawrence writes, "And they say the whale can never be cut nor killed, and that the flinty icebergs are sometimes no match for the warmth of his breath." This line suggests that the whale is a powerful and invincible creature, one that cannot be tamed or controlled by humans. The use of the word "flinty" to describe the icebergs is also significant, as it suggests that even the most solid and unyielding objects can be overcome by the whale's power.

The next few lines of the poem describe the whale's song, which is a recurring motif throughout the poem. Lawrence writes, "And the sound of his spouting is as a stone dropped into a pool, but the sound of his singing is as a hymn in praise of God." This line suggests that the whale's song is not just a physical sound, but a spiritual one as well. The use of the word "hymn" to describe the whale's song is significant, as it suggests that the whale is not just a creature of the sea, but a creature of the divine.

The poem then takes a more philosophical turn, as Lawrence writes, "They say that whales are sometimes driven ashore and left stranded, and that their cries can be heard on the beach." This line suggests that even the most powerful and invincible creatures can be brought low by the forces of nature. The use of the word "cries" to describe the whale's sounds is significant, as it suggests that the whale is not just a physical creature, but a sentient one as well.

The poem then ends with the line, "But they say the sea is cold, and that whales are but blubber." This line is significant, as it suggests that even though the sea and the whales are powerful and mysterious entities, they are ultimately just physical objects that can be reduced to their basic components. However, the poem also suggests that there is something more to the sea and the whales than just their physicality, as they are also spiritual entities that evoke emotions and stir the soul.

In conclusion, "Whales Weep Not!" is a beautiful and poignant poem that explores the nature of whales and their relationship with the sea. The poem is filled with powerful imagery and metaphors that evoke emotions and stir the soul. The recurring motif of the whale's song is particularly significant, as it suggests that the whale is not just a physical creature, but a spiritual one as well. The poem also suggests that even though the sea and the whales are powerful and mysterious entities, they are ultimately just physical objects that can be reduced to their basic components. However, the poem also suggests that there is something more to the sea and the whales than just their physicality, as they are also spiritual entities that evoke emotions and stir the soul. Overall, "Whales Weep Not!" is a timeless classic that continues to inspire and move readers to this day.

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