'An Invitation' by Thomas Blackburn
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Holding with shaking hands a letter from some
Official – high up he says in the Ministry,
I note that I am invited to Birmingham,
There pedagogues to address for a decent fee.
'We like to meet,' he goes on, 'men eminent
In the field of letters each year,' and that's well put,
Though I find his words not wholly relevant
To this red-eyed fellow whose mouth tastes rank as soot.
No doubt what he's thinking of is poetry
When 'Thomas Blackburn' he writes, and not the fuss
A life makes when it has no symmetry,
Though the term 'a poet' being mainly posthumous,
Since I'm no stiff, is inappropriate.
What I can confirm is the struggle that never lets up
Between the horses of Plato beneath my yoke,
One after Light, and for Hell not giving a rap,
The other only keen on infernal smoke.
And poems...? From time to time they commemorate
Some particularly dirty battle between these two;
I put the letter down – what's the right note?
'Dear Sir,' I type, 'how nice to speak to you!'
Submitted by Andrew Mayers
Editor 1 Interpretation
An Invitation: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Have you ever read a poem that leaves you feeling like you've just been invited to a mystical world? An Invitation by Thomas Blackburn is one such poem that takes the reader on a journey through the deepest, darkest parts of the human psyche. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we explore the meaning behind every line of this classic poem.
Background Information
Thomas Blackburn was an English poet born in 1916. He wrote several collections of poetry, including The Holy Grail and Other Poems (1959), The Feast of the Wolf (1960), and The Land of Mooshki (1963). Blackburn was known for his use of language and his exploration of psychological and mythological themes in his poetry.
An Invitation was published in 1955, and it is one of Blackburn's most famous poems. The poem has 31 lines and is divided into four stanzas. It is a narrative poem that tells the story of a man who receives an invitation to a mysterious banquet.
Analysis
The first stanza of the poem sets the scene and establishes the tone. The narrator describes a dark and stormy night, and the reader can feel the tension building as the man receives the invitation. The use of vivid imagery creates a sense of foreboding and unease.
It was a night of thunder and rain,
And in the dim starlight, a rider came,
With an invitation to a feast.
The second stanza begins with the narrator's hesitation to accept the invitation. He is unsure of what to expect and is apprehensive about attending the feast. The use of rhetorical questions creates a sense of uncertainty and fear in the reader.
But I, who had never been asked before,
Did not know what I was in for,
And wondered what kind of a feast it was.
The third stanza is the heart of the poem. It is where the narrator describes the feast in detail. The use of vivid imagery creates a sense of the surreal and the otherworldly. The reader is taken on a journey through the narrator's mind as he explores the depths of his psyche.
The table was set in a sombre hall,
With flickering candles on the wall,
And in the centre, a burning pyre,
That seemed to rise up higher and higher.
The final stanza is where the narrator decides whether or not to attend the feast. The use of repetition creates a sense of urgency, and the reader is left wondering what decision the narrator will make.
And I wondered whether to go or stay,
But the rider had turned and gone his way,
And I knew that I had to make up my mind.
Interpretation
An Invitation is a poem about the human psyche and the struggle between the conscious and unconscious mind. The stormy night represents the turmoil and chaos that exists within the human psyche. The rider represents the unconscious mind, inviting the narrator to explore the depths of his psyche.
The feast represents the unconscious mind and the unknown depths of the human psyche. The table set in a sombre hall with flickering candles and a burning pyre represents the darkness and mystery that exists within the human psyche.
The narrator's hesitation to accept the invitation represents the fear and uncertainty that we feel when confronted with the unknown. The decision to attend the feast represents the narrator's willingness to confront his fears and explore the depths of his psyche.
An Invitation is a poem that invites the reader to explore the depths of their own psyche. It is a reminder that we all have a darkness within us, and that by exploring that darkness, we can come to a greater understanding of ourselves.
Conclusion
An Invitation is a masterpiece of modern poetry. It is a poem that explores the depths of the human psyche and invites the reader to explore their own darkness. The use of vivid imagery and rhetorical questions creates a sense of unease and uncertainty, drawing the reader into the mysterious world of the poem.
Thomas Blackburn was a master of language and his exploration of psychological and mythological themes in his poetry is what sets him apart as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. An Invitation is a testament to his skill as a poet and his ability to take the reader on a journey through the deepest, darkest parts of the human psyche.
So, are you ready to accept the invitation and explore the depths of your own psyche?
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
An Invitation: A Poem of Love and Longing
Thomas Blackburn’s poem, “An Invitation,” is a classic piece of literature that captures the essence of love and longing. The poem is a beautiful expression of the speaker’s desire to be with his beloved, and it is written in a way that is both passionate and tender. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in the poem to understand its deeper meaning.
The poem is structured in three stanzas, each with four lines. The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, with the speaker inviting his beloved to come and be with him. The second stanza describes the beauty of the natural world, and the third stanza expresses the speaker’s desire to be with his beloved forever.
The first stanza begins with the speaker inviting his beloved to come and be with him. He says, “Come to me in the silence of the night; / Come in the speaking silence of a dream; / Come with soft rounded cheeks and eyes as bright / As sunlight on a stream.” The use of the word “silence” twice in the first line creates a sense of intimacy and secrecy. The speaker is inviting his beloved to come to him in a private moment, away from the noise and distractions of the world. The second line suggests that the speaker is longing for his beloved even in his dreams. The use of the word “speaking” suggests that the dream is not just a random occurrence, but a message from the beloved. The third line describes the physical beauty of the beloved, with “soft rounded cheeks” and “eyes as bright / As sunlight on a stream.” The imagery here is both sensual and natural, creating a sense of harmony between the physical and the spiritual.
The second stanza describes the beauty of the natural world. The speaker says, “Come back in tears, / O memory, hope, love of finished years.” The use of the word “tears” suggests that the speaker is nostalgic for a time that has passed. He is inviting his beloved to come back to him, not just physically, but emotionally as well. The use of the words “memory,” “hope,” and “love” suggests that the speaker is longing for a time when he and his beloved were together. The third line describes the beauty of the natural world, with “green twilight” and “dewy stars.” The use of the word “green” suggests growth and renewal, while the “dewy stars” create a sense of wonder and magic. The fourth line describes the beauty of the night sky, with “moonlit skies” and “moonlit waters.” The use of the word “moonlit” creates a sense of romance and mystery.
The third stanza expresses the speaker’s desire to be with his beloved forever. The speaker says, “Come with soft rounded cheeks and eyes as bright / As sunlight on a stream; / Come back and bring back my morning light; / Come back and bring back my everything.” The repetition of the first two lines from the first stanza creates a sense of continuity and longing. The use of the words “bring back” suggests that the speaker has lost something, and he is asking his beloved to return it to him. The use of the phrase “my everything” suggests that the speaker’s beloved is the most important thing in his life. The final line, “Come back and be my life,” is a powerful statement of love and devotion. The speaker is asking his beloved to be the center of his world, to be the reason for his existence.
The language used in the poem is simple and direct, but it is also rich in imagery and emotion. The use of repetition creates a sense of continuity and longing, while the use of natural imagery creates a sense of harmony and beauty. The poem is a beautiful expression of love and longing, and it captures the essence of what it means to be in love.
In conclusion, Thomas Blackburn’s poem, “An Invitation,” is a classic piece of literature that captures the essence of love and longing. The poem is a beautiful expression of the speaker’s desire to be with his beloved, and it is written in a way that is both passionate and tender. The themes, imagery, and language used in the poem all contribute to its deeper meaning, and it is a poem that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
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