'From Love's First Fever To Her Plague' by Dylan Thomas
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From love's first fever to her plague, from the soft second
And to the hollow minute of the womb,
From the unfolding to the scissored caul,
The time for breast and the green apron age
When no mouth stirred about the hanging famine,
All world was one, one windy nothing,
My world was christened in a stream of milk.
And earth and sky were as one airy hill.
The sun and mood shed one white light.From the first print of the unshodden foot, the lifting
Hand, the breaking of the hair,
From the first scent of the heart, the warning ghost,
And to the first dumb wonder at the flesh,
The sun was red, the moon was grey,
The earth and sky were as two mountains meeting.The body prospered, teeth in the marrowed gums,
The growing bones, the rumour of the manseed
Within the hallowed gland, blood blessed the heart,
And the four winds, that had long blown as one,
Shone in my ears the light of sound,
Called in my eyes the sound of light.
And yellow was the multiplying sand,
Each golden grain spat life into its fellow,
Green was the singing house.The plum my mother picked matured slowly,
The boy she dropped from darkness at her side
Into the sided lap of light grew strong,
Was muscled, matted, wise to the crying thigh,
And to the voice that, like a voice of hunger,
Itched in the noise of wind and sun.And from the first declension of the flesh
I learnt man's tongue, to twist the shapes of thoughts
Into the stony idiom of the brain,
To shade and knit anew the patch of words
Left by the dead who, in their moonless acre,
Need no word's warmth.
The root of tongues ends in a spentout cancer,
That but a name, where maggots have their X.I learnt the verbs of will, and had my secret;
The code of night tapped on my tongue;
What had been one was many sounding minded.One wound, one mind, spewed out the matter,
One breast gave suck the fever's issue;
From the divorcing sky I learnt the double,
The two-framed globe that spun into a score;
A million minds gave suck to such a bud
As forks my eye;
Youth did condense; the tears of spring
Dissolved in summer and the hundred seasons;
One sun, one manna, warmed and fed.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, From Love's First Fever To Her Plague: A Critical Analysis
Dylan Thomas was one of the most significant poets of the 20th century. His works are known for their lush imagery, vivid language, and intricate wordplay. In his poem, "From Love's First Fever To Her Plague," Thomas explores the different stages of love, from its initial euphoria to its inevitable decline. This essay will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of the poem, exploring its themes, symbols, and poetic techniques.
Overview of the Poem
"From Love's First Fever To Her Plague" is a 22-line poem divided into four stanzas. The title itself is a metaphor for love, comparing it to a disease that gradually consumes and destroys the lover. The poem is written in free verse, with irregular meter and rhyme.
The first stanza introduces the idea of love as a fever, describing the initial stages of infatuation as a kind of madness that blinds the lover to reality. The second stanza shifts to a more somber tone, with the speaker acknowledging the inevitability of love's decline. The third stanza uses vivid imagery to describe the lover's physical and emotional pain as they try to resist the decline of their relationship. The final stanza concludes with the speaker acknowledging the futility of trying to resist love's inevitable end.
Themes
One of the main themes of the poem is the fleeting nature of love. Thomas portrays love as a kind of disease that gradually consumes and destroys the lover. The title itself suggests that love is not a positive force, but rather something that leads to sickness and ultimately death. The poem explores the different stages of this decline, from the initial euphoria of infatuation to the eventual disillusionment and despair.
Another theme of the poem is the power of language to convey emotion. Thomas uses vivid imagery and rich language to convey the intensity of the lover's emotions. The use of metaphors and symbols adds depth and complexity to the poem, allowing the reader to understand the speaker's emotional journey on a deeper level.
Symbols
One of the most striking symbols in the poem is the image of the "love-knot." This symbol appears in the second stanza, where the speaker describes how love gradually tightens its grip on the lover, like a knot that cannot be untied. This symbol represents the inescapability of love, and the inevitability of its decline. The knot becomes a physical manifestation of the lover's emotional pain, as they struggle to break free from the grip of love.
Another symbol in the poem is the image of the "death-bed." This symbol appears in the third stanza, where the speaker describes the physical and emotional pain of the lover as they try to resist the decline of their relationship. The death-bed represents the final stages of love, where the lover must confront the inevitability of its end. The image conveys a sense of finality and inevitability, suggesting that the lover's fate is sealed.
Poetic Techniques
"From Love's First Fever To Her Plague" is notable for its use of vivid imagery and rich language. Thomas uses a variety of poetic techniques to convey the intensity of the lover's emotions, including metaphors, symbols, and alliteration. The poem is written in free verse, which allows the speaker to experiment with different rhythms and cadences.
One of the most striking poetic techniques in the poem is the use of repetition. The phrase "from love's first fever" appears three times in the first three stanzas, creating a sense of rhythm and continuity. The repetition emphasizes the idea that love is a kind of disease that gradually consumes the lover, reinforcing the central theme of the poem.
Another poetic technique used in the poem is enjambment, where a sentence or phrase continues onto the next line without a pause. This creates a sense of flow and movement in the poem, emphasizing the idea that love is a journey with its own twists and turns. The irregular meter and rhyme scheme of the poem also contribute to this sense of movement, creating a sense of unpredictability and instability that mirrors the emotional journey of the lover.
Conclusion
"From Love's First Fever To Her Plague" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the different stages of love. Thomas uses rich language, vivid imagery, and poetic techniques to convey the intensity of the lover's emotions, creating a sense of movement and flow that mirrors the emotional journey of the speaker. The poem is a testament to the power of language to convey emotion, and to the fleeting nature of love itself. Through its use of symbols, metaphors, and repetition, the poem captures the essence of love as a kind of disease that gradually consumes and destroys the lover, leaving them on their death-bed, helpless to resist its inevitable decline.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry From Love's First Fever To Her Plague: A Masterpiece by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet, is known for his vivid and imaginative use of language. His works are often characterized by their musicality, their surreal imagery, and their exploration of the human condition. One of his most famous poems, "Poetry From Love's First Fever To Her Plague," is a prime example of his unique style and his ability to capture the complexities of human emotion.
The poem is divided into three sections, each of which explores a different stage in the experience of love. The first section, "Love's First Fever," describes the initial rush of passion and desire that comes with falling in love. Thomas uses vivid and sensual imagery to convey the intensity of this feeling:
"Love's first fever, when I felt your soft mouth And your first faint touch upon the fiery core Fledges the wings of my whole spirit and binds me Whetting thy appetite with my sweet blood."
The language here is rich and evocative, with words like "soft," "fiery," and "sweet" creating a sense of sensuality and intensity. The image of the speaker's spirit being bound by love is particularly powerful, suggesting that love has the power to transform and shape us in profound ways.
The second section of the poem, "Love's Springtide," explores the more complex and nuanced aspects of love. Here, Thomas moves beyond the initial rush of passion and delves into the deeper emotions that come with a long-term relationship:
"Love's springtide, when every flower is brave Like children running between the rainbows And the living surface of the green earth moves, And the heavens are full of joyous birds."
The language here is more restrained than in the first section, with a focus on natural imagery and the beauty of the world around us. The use of the word "brave" to describe the flowers suggests a sense of courage and resilience, while the image of children running between rainbows creates a sense of playfulness and joy. The final line, with its reference to "joyous birds," reinforces the idea that love can bring a sense of happiness and contentment to our lives.
The final section of the poem, "Love's Plague," takes a darker turn, exploring the pain and suffering that can come with love:
"Love's plague, when, like pale flowers, desire Withered or fed sweet with the purple blood Drops from the petals, and love's anguish comes Into my body and shakes my feeble bones."
The language here is stark and haunting, with words like "plague," "withered," and "anguish" creating a sense of despair and hopelessness. The image of desire feeding on the speaker's blood is particularly striking, suggesting that love can be a destructive force that consumes us from within. The final line, with its reference to "feeble bones," reinforces the idea that love can leave us weakened and vulnerable.
Overall, "Poetry From Love's First Fever To Her Plague" is a powerful and evocative exploration of the many facets of love. Through his use of vivid imagery and rich language, Dylan Thomas captures the intensity, beauty, and pain of this complex emotion. Whether we are experiencing the rush of passion at the beginning of a relationship, the deeper emotions that come with a long-term commitment, or the pain and suffering that can come with love's end, this poem speaks to the universal human experience of love and all its complexities.
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