'The Other One' by Robert Service
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"Gather around me, children dear;
The wind is high and the night is cold;
Closer, little ones, snuggle near;
Let's seek a story of ages old;
A magic tale of a bygone day,
Of lovely ladies and dragons dread;
Come, for you're all so tired of play,
We'll read till it's time to go to bed."
So they all are glad, and they nestle in,
And squat on the rough old nursery rug,
And they nudge and hush as I begin,
And the fire leaps up and all's so snug;
And there I sit in the big arm-chair,
And how they are eager and sweet and wise,
And they cup their chins in their hands and stare
At the heart of the flame with thoughtful eyes.
And then, as I read by the ruddy glow
And the little ones sit entranced and still . . .
He's drawing near, ah! I know, I know
He's listening too, as he always will.
He's there -- he's standing beside my knee;
I see him so well, my wee, wee son. . . .
Oh, children dear, don't look at me --
I'm reading now for -- the Other One.
For the firelight glints in his golden hair,
And his wondering eyes are fixed on my face,
And he rests on the arm of my easy-chair,
And the book's a blur and I lose my place:
And I touch my lips to his shining head,
And my voice breaks down and -- the story's done. . . .
Oh, children, kiss me and go to bed:
Leave me to think of the Other One.
Of the One who will never grow up at all,
Who will always be just a child at play,
Tender and trusting and sweet and small,
Who will never leave me and go away;
Who will never hurt me and give me pain;
Who will comfort me when I'm all alone;
A heart of love that's without a stain,
Always and always my own, my own.
Yet a thought shines out from the dark of pain,
And it gives me hope to be reconciled:
That each of us must be born again,
And live and die as a little child;
So that with souls all shining white,
White as snow and without one sin,
We may come to the Gates of Eternal Light,
Where only children may enter in.
So, gentle mothers, don't ever grieve
Because you have lost, but kiss the rod;
From the depths of your woe be glad, believe
You've given an angel unto God.
Rejoice! You've a child whose youth endures,
Who comes to you when the day is done,
Wistful for love, oh, yours, just yours,
Dearest of all, the Other One.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Interpretation of Robert Service's “The Other One”
Robert Service's poem, “The Other One,” is a classic literary work that portrays human emotions towards love and loss. The poem tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a man and marries him only to discover that he had a previous lover who was still in his heart. The poem explores the theme of lost love and the emotional turmoil that one goes through when they realize that their partner is still in love with someone else.
The Poet's Use of Imagery
Service has effectively used imagery to convey the emotions and feelings of the protagonist. The opening lines of the poem, “She looks so like you, dear, / So like you,” depict the pain and anguish of the protagonist who sees her lover's previous lover in another woman. The use of the word “dear” emphasizes the protagonist's affection towards her lover, while the repetition of “so like you” emphasizes her pain and her realization that her lover is still in love with his previous lover.
Service also uses natural imagery to describe the setting of the poem, “A misty morning, / A gray uncertain dawn” (2-3). The use of mist and gray uncertain dawn creates a gloomy and uncertain atmosphere that reflects the protagonist's emotional state. The image of the “misty morning” could also represent the protagonist's state of mind, which is unclear, as she is uncertain whether her lover still loves her or not.
The Theme of Lost Love
The theme of lost love is central to the poem. The protagonist's realization that her lover is still in love with his previous lover creates a sense of loss and emotional pain. The line, “I thought you loved me, dear,” (4) highlights the protagonist's disbelief and shock at her partner's confession. The use of the word “dear” shows her affection towards her lover, while the word “thought” emphasizes her realization that her partner's love for her was not genuine.
The theme of lost love is also highlighted in the protagonist's realization that she is not the only one who has experienced this pain. The line, “Many's the woman who's loved a man / And found that she's not the first” (16-17) shows that the protagonist's experience is not unique and that many women have gone through the same emotional turmoil.
The Use of Irony
Service has also used irony to convey the theme of lost love. The protagonist's realization that her lover is still in love with his previous lover is ironic as she had believed that her love was genuine. The line, “I thought you loved me, dear,” (4) highlights this irony as the protagonist realizes that her love was not reciprocated.
The use of irony is also evident in the line, “Is there no end to the making of love?” (25). The line is ironic as the protagonist is not speaking of making love in a physical sense, but rather in an emotional sense. The line emphasizes the cyclical nature of love and how it seems to repeat itself, with people falling in and out of love continuously.
The Poet's Message
Service's poem, “The Other One,” has a powerful message that is still relevant today. The poem highlights the emotional turmoil and pain that one experiences when they realize that their partner is still in love with someone else. The message of the poem is that love is not always reciprocated, and that one can never fully know the heart of another person.
The poem also emphasizes the cyclical nature of love and the fact that many people experience the same pain and emotional turmoil. The poem can be seen as a warning to those who believe that their love is unique and that they are the only ones who have experienced such emotions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Robert Service's “The Other One” is a classic literary work that explores the theme of lost love and emotional turmoil. The poet effectively uses imagery and irony to convey the emotions and feelings of the protagonist, while the message of the poem is still relevant today. The poem serves as a warning to those who believe that their love is unique and emphasizes the cyclical nature of love. Robert Service's “The Other One” is a timeless literary work that still resonates with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Other One: A Poem of Love and Loss
Robert Service, the renowned poet, has left an indelible mark on the world of literature with his powerful and evocative poetry. His poem, The Other One, is a classic example of his mastery of the art of storytelling through verse. The poem is a poignant tale of love and loss, told through the eyes of a man who has lost his beloved to another.
The Other One is a poem that speaks to the heart of every person who has ever loved and lost. It is a story of a man who has lost his love to another man, and the pain and anguish that he feels as a result. The poem is a powerful exploration of the human emotions of jealousy, betrayal, and heartbreak.
The poem begins with the narrator describing his love for his beloved. He speaks of her beauty and her grace, and how she captured his heart from the moment he first saw her. He describes her as his "soul's delight," and his "heart's desire." The narrator's love for his beloved is all-consuming, and he cannot imagine life without her.
However, the narrator's happiness is short-lived, as he soon discovers that his beloved has fallen in love with another man. The narrator is devastated by this news, and he feels as though his world has come crashing down around him. He is consumed by jealousy and anger, and he cannot understand how his beloved could have chosen another over him.
The poem is a powerful exploration of the human emotions of jealousy, betrayal, and heartbreak.
The narrator's pain and anguish are palpable throughout the poem. He speaks of how he cannot bear to see his beloved with another man, and how he longs to be the one who is holding her in his arms. He describes how he feels as though he has lost a part of himself, and how he cannot imagine ever being happy again.
Despite his pain, the narrator cannot help but feel a sense of admiration for the man who has won his beloved's heart. He speaks of how the other man is "tall and straight and strong," and how he is everything that the narrator is not. The narrator cannot help but feel as though he has been bested by this other man, and he cannot understand how his beloved could have chosen him over him.
The poem is a powerful exploration of the human emotions of jealousy, betrayal, and heartbreak. It speaks to the heart of every person who has ever loved and lost, and it reminds us of the pain and anguish that comes with losing someone we love. The Other One is a timeless classic that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
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