'A Rolling Stone' by Robert Service
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There's sunshine in the heart of me,
My blood sings in the breeze;
The mountains are a part of me,
I'm fellow to the trees.
My golden youth I'm squandering,
Sun-libertine am I;
A-wandering, a-wandering,
Until the day I die.
I was once, I declare, a Stone-Age man,
And I roomed in the cool of a cave;
I have known, I will swear, in a new life-span,
The fret and the sweat of a slave:
For far over all that folks hold worth,
There lives and there leaps in me
A love of the lowly things of earth,
And a passion to be free.
To pitch my tent with no prosy plan,
To range and to change at will;
To mock at the mastership of man,
To seek Adventure's thrill.
Carefree to be, as a bird that sings;
To go my own sweet way;
To reck not at all what may befall,
But to live and to love each day.
To make my body a temple pure
Wherein I dwell serene;
To care for the things that shall endure,
The simple, sweet and clean.
To oust out envy and hate and rage,
To breathe with no alarm;
For Nature shall be my anchorage,
And none shall do me harm.
To shun all lures that debauch the soul,
The orgied rites of the rich;
To eat my crust as a rover must
With the rough-neck down in the ditch.
To trudge by his side whate'er betide;
To share his fire at night;
To call him friend to the long trail-end,
And to read his heart aright.
To scorn all strife, and to view all life
With the curious eyes of a child;
From the plangent sea to the prairie,
From the slum to the heart of the Wild.
From the red-rimmed star to the speck of sand,
From the vast to the greatly small;
For I know that the whole for good is planned,
And I want to see it all.
To see it all, the wide world-way,
From the fig-leaf belt to the Pole;
With never a one to say me nay,
And none to cramp my soul.
In belly-pinch I will pay the price,
But God! let me be free;
For once I know in the long ago,
They made a slave of me.
In a flannel shirt from earth's clean dirt,
Here, pal, is my calloused hand!
Oh, I love each day as a rover may,
Nor seek to understand.
To enjoy is good enough for me;
The gipsy of God am I;
Then here's a hail to each flaring dawn!
And here's a cheer to the night that's gone!
And may I go a-roaming on
Until the day I die!
Then every star shall sing to me
Its song of liberty;
And every morn shall bring to me
Its mandate to be free.
In every throbbing vein of me
I'll feel the vast Earth-call;
O body, heart and brain of me
Praise Him who made it all!
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Rolling Stone by Robert Service: An Ode to Wanderlust and Restlessness
Every human being is a rolling stone, with a restless heart and a thirst for adventure. We all have moments when we feel trapped in our mundane lives, yearning for something new, something exciting, something that would ignite the fire within us. Robert Service's poem, "A Rolling Stone," captures this universal longing for freedom, and celebrates the wanderlust that drives us to explore the world and ourselves.
The Poet and His Time
Robert Service was a Scottish-Canadian poet and writer, born in 1874 in Lancashire, England. He is best known for his poems and stories about the Yukon Gold Rush, which he witnessed firsthand while working as a bank clerk in the Canadian North. Service's writing style is simple, direct, and often humorous, with a keen eye for the quirks and foibles of human nature.
"A Rolling Stone," published in 1912, is one of Service's early poems, and it reflects his own experience as a restless traveler, always seeking new horizons. The poem resonated with his contemporaries, who were living in a time of great social and economic change, with the rise of industrialization and urbanization. Many people were leaving their homes and families to seek work and adventure in new lands, and Service's poem spoke to their yearning for freedom and self-discovery.
The Poem Itself
The poem begins with a couplet that sets the tone for the rest of the piece:
I'm just a rolling stone
All alone and free
These two lines encapsulate the central idea of the poem: the speaker is a wanderer, unencumbered by ties to any one place or person. He is free to roam as he pleases, to explore the world and himself without any constraints. The repetition of the word "alone" emphasizes the speaker's solitude, but also suggests that he is content with his own company.
The next stanza expands on the speaker's sense of freedom:
For what care I for wealth or fame
Or love-mates dear and true?
When I can roam with none to blame
And bid the world adieu.
Here, we see that the speaker is indifferent to the usual trappings of success and happiness: wealth, fame, and love. Instead, he cherishes his ability to wander without any attachments or expectations. The phrase "with none to blame" implies that the speaker has been judged or criticized in the past for his restless nature, but he refuses to be constrained by others' opinions. He is his own master, and he revels in his independence.
The third stanza introduces a more melancholic note:
Oh, I have loved and I have lost
And I have loved again
But never have I paid the cost
Of binding myself to men.
Here, the speaker acknowledges that he has experienced love in his life, but he has never been able to commit himself to another person. He has always been a rolling stone, unable or unwilling to settle down and build a life with someone else. The repetition of the word "loved" emphasizes the speaker's emotional depth, but also highlights his inability to sustain a lasting relationship. The phrase "binding myself to men" suggests that the speaker sees human relationships as a kind of bondage, a constraint on his freedom.
The fourth stanza returns to the theme of wanderlust:
I've seen the cities of the world
And I have seen the wild
And I have loved the freedom furled
In each encircling mile.
Here, the speaker celebrates his travels, his encounters with different cultures and landscapes. He has seen the hustle and bustle of urban life, but he has also experienced the peace and solitude of nature. The phrase "freedom furled" suggests that the speaker sees the world as a vast canvas of possibilities, waiting to be explored. He finds joy and meaning in the act of wandering, of seeking out new places and adventures.
The final couplet brings the poem to a close:
So let me wander where I will
And stay a rolling stone
These lines reaffirm the speaker's commitment to his restless spirit. He will continue to wander, to seek out the unknown, to embrace the freedom of the open road. The repetition of the phrase "rolling stone" underscores the poem's central metaphor, and reinforces the idea that the human spirit is always in motion, always seeking something more.
Analysis and Interpretation
"A Rolling Stone" is a poem that celebrates the human desire for freedom and adventure, but it also acknowledges the costs of such a life. The speaker is a wanderer, yes, but he is also a solitary figure, unable to connect with others on a deeper level. He is free, yes, but he is also alone.
The poem can be read as a critique of the capitalist values of Service's time, which placed a premium on individual achievement and success. The speaker rejects the idea that one's worth is defined by one's wealth or status, and instead finds value in the act of wandering itself. He is a rebel, a nonconformist, who refuses to be tied down by social norms or expectations.
At the same time, the poem can also be read as an ode to the beauty and diversity of the world. The speaker has seen both the best and worst of what humanity has to offer, but he still finds wonder and joy in the variety of experiences available to him. He celebrates the freedom of movement, the ability to go wherever his feet will take him, and to find beauty and meaning in each step.
Ultimately, "A Rolling Stone" is a poem that speaks to the universal human desire for something more, for an escape from the constraints of everyday life. It celebrates the joy and beauty of the world, but also acknowledges the challenges and loneliness that come with a life on the road. It reminds us that we are all rolling stones, seeking our own paths and destinations, but also connected by our shared longing for freedom and self-discovery.
Conclusion
Robert Service's "A Rolling Stone" is a classic poem that captures the restless spirit of the human heart. It celebrates the joy of wandering, the thrill of adventure, and the beauty of the world around us. It reminds us that we are all rolling stones, with a thirst for something more, something beyond the confines of daily life. And it challenges us to embrace our own wanderlust, to seek out new horizons, and to find meaning and purpose in the act of moving forward.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Rolling Stone: A Classic Poem by Robert Service
Robert Service, a renowned poet, is known for his ability to capture the essence of life in his poems. His poem, A Rolling Stone, is a classic example of his talent. This poem is a reflection of the human desire for freedom and adventure, and the consequences that come with it. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail.
The poem begins with the line, "I'm a rolling stone, and I'm all alone." This line sets the tone for the entire poem. The speaker is a wanderer, a person who is always on the move, and has no permanent home. The phrase "rolling stone" is a metaphor for a person who is constantly moving, never settling down. The speaker is proud of his lifestyle, and he sees it as a badge of honor. He is not tied down by any responsibilities or commitments, and he is free to go wherever he pleases.
The second stanza of the poem describes the speaker's journey. He has traveled far and wide, from the mountains to the sea. He has seen the beauty of nature, and he has experienced the thrill of adventure. He has met many people along the way, but he has never stayed in one place for too long. The speaker is a true adventurer, and he is always looking for the next challenge.
The third stanza of the poem describes the consequences of the speaker's lifestyle. He has no friends or family, and he is always alone. He has no one to share his experiences with, and he is always searching for something more. The speaker is aware of the price he has paid for his freedom, but he is willing to pay it. He sees his life as a journey, and he is determined to keep moving forward.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the speaker's attitude towards life. He is not afraid of death, and he sees it as a natural part of the cycle of life. He is not afraid of the unknown, and he is always ready for whatever comes his way. The speaker is a true adventurer, and he is always looking for the next challenge.
The fifth and final stanza of the poem is a reflection on the speaker's life. He knows that his lifestyle is not for everyone, and he is aware of the risks involved. He is proud of his life, and he sees it as a testament to his courage and determination. The speaker is a true adventurer, and he is always looking for the next challenge.
In conclusion, A Rolling Stone is a classic poem that captures the essence of the human desire for freedom and adventure. The speaker is a wanderer, a person who is always on the move, and has no permanent home. He has traveled far and wide, and he has experienced the beauty of nature and the thrill of adventure. The poem also highlights the consequences of the speaker's lifestyle, including loneliness and isolation. However, the speaker is proud of his life, and he sees it as a testament to his courage and determination. Robert Service has created a masterpiece that will continue to inspire and captivate readers for generations to come.
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