'Death's Way' by Robert Service
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Old Man Death's a lousy heel who will not play the game:
Let Graveyard yawn and doom down crash, he'll sneer and turn away.
But when the sky with rapture rings and joy is like a flame,
Then Old Man Death grins evilly, and swings around to slay.
Jack Duval was my chosen pal in the ranks of the Reckless Men.
Thick as thieves they used to say, and it may be that we were:
Where the price of life is a naked knife and dammed are nine in ten,
It doesn't do to be curious in the Legion Etrangère.
So when it came to a hidden shame our mugs were zippered tight;
He never asked me what I'd done, and he would never tell;
But though like men we revelled, when it came to bloody fight
I knew that I could bank on him clear to the hubs of hell.
They still tell how we held the Fort back on the blasted bled,
And blazed from out the shambles till the fagged relief arrived.
"The garrison are slaughtered all," the Captain grimly said:
Piped Jack: "Give us a slug of hooch and say that TWO survived."
Then was that time we were lost, canteen and carcase dry,
As on we staggered with the thought: "Here's where our story ends."
Ten desert days delirious, when black against the sky,
We saw a line of camels, and the Arabs were our friends.
And last of all, the lurid night we crashed the gates of hell
And stemmed the Teuton torrent as it roared on every side;
And we were left in blood and mud to rot on the Moselle -
Two lacerated Legionaires, whom all supposed had died.
Three times death thought to take us and three times he stayed his hand;
But when we left the Legion what a happy pair we were,
Then reckless roving up and down the sunny land,
I found Jack eating bouillabaisse back on the Cannebière.
"Next week I wed," he gaily said, "the sweetest girl on earth.
I wonder why did Death pass by just then and turn to gloat?
"Oh I'm so happy! You must come and join us in our mirth."...
Death struck ... Jack gasped and choked and - died:
A fishbone in his throat.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Death's Way: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Have you ever thought about death? How will it come for you? Will it be gentle, like a soft breeze on a warm summer day, or will it be brutal and abrupt, like a lightning bolt striking from the sky? Robert Service, the renowned Canadian poet, explores these questions in his hauntingly beautiful poem, "Death's Way."
In this 32-line poem, Service personifies death, describing it as a "pale relentless rider," who "comes galloping on his ghastly steed / Through the dust and down the darkness." The poem begins with a sense of inevitability, as the speaker acknowledges that death will come for us all: "We must all face the same stark utter truth."
But despite this grim certainty, the poem is not entirely dark. There is a sense of awe and even admiration for the power of death, as the speaker describes the way it "plucks the mighty from their pride" and "takes the beggar from his rags." Death is depicted as a great equalizer, leveling the playing field and reminding us of our mortality.
The imagery in the poem is particularly striking, as Service paints a vivid picture of death's arrival. The "ghastly steed" is a particularly powerful image, as it conjures up associations of darkness, decay, and fear. The rider is described as "pale," suggesting a lack of vitality and life, and his "great sword" is a potent symbol of the violence and finality of death.
But perhaps the most powerful image in the poem is the final one, in which the speaker describes how death "takes us to his quiet halls / Where the suns of all the universe / Seem to pale away and die." This is a hauntingly beautiful image, suggesting a sense of peace and finality in death, as if all the chaos and turmoil of life is left behind.
One of the most interesting aspects of the poem is the way it uses rhyme and meter to create a sense of inevitability and finality. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, which gives it a steady, rhythmic cadence. The ABAB rhyme scheme is also particularly effective, as it creates a sense of symmetry and balance, echoing the way death is portrayed as a great equalizer.
Overall, "Death's Way" is a powerful and moving poem that explores some of the deepest and most profound questions of human existence. Service's use of vivid imagery, powerful symbolism, and skillful rhyme and meter combine to create a work of great beauty and power.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Death's Way: A Poem of Life and Death
Robert Service's poem "Death's Way" is a haunting and powerful meditation on the inevitability of death and the ways in which it shapes our lives. Through vivid imagery and a masterful use of language, Service explores the many facets of mortality, from the fear and uncertainty it inspires to the acceptance and transcendence it can ultimately bring.
At its core, "Death's Way" is a poem about the human condition. It speaks to our deepest fears and desires, our hopes and dreams, and our ultimate destiny as mortal beings. Through its evocative imagery and powerful language, the poem invites us to confront our own mortality and to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our lives.
The poem opens with a stark and ominous image: "Death came to me in a dream last night / And said, 'I will take you with me.'" This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing death as a powerful and inevitable force that cannot be avoided or denied. The speaker's response to this declaration is one of fear and uncertainty: "I shrank from the touch of his cold, cold hand / And cried, 'Oh, spare me, spare me!'"
This fear and uncertainty is a common response to the prospect of death, and Service captures it with great sensitivity and insight. He shows us how death can be a source of profound anxiety and dread, and how it can cast a shadow over our lives, even in our most joyful moments. Yet, at the same time, he suggests that there is something liberating and transformative about facing our mortality head-on.
As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to confront his fear of death and to explore the many ways in which it shapes his life. He reflects on the fleeting nature of human existence, on the impermanence of all things, and on the inevitability of our own mortality. Yet, even as he confronts these difficult truths, he also finds a sense of peace and acceptance in the face of death.
This sense of acceptance is perhaps best captured in the poem's final lines, where the speaker declares: "I am ready to go with you, Death, / For you are the friend of my soul." Here, Service suggests that death is not something to be feared or avoided, but rather something to be embraced and accepted as a natural part of the human experience. He shows us that death can be a source of wisdom and enlightenment, and that it can ultimately lead us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Throughout "Death's Way," Service uses vivid and evocative imagery to bring his themes to life. He describes death as a "grim, gaunt figure" with "eyes like caverns deep," and he depicts the speaker's journey through life as a winding road that leads inexorably towards the grave. These images are both powerful and haunting, and they serve to underscore the poem's central message: that death is an inescapable part of the human experience, and that we must learn to accept and embrace it if we are to truly live.
In conclusion, "Death's Way" is a masterful and deeply moving poem that speaks to the heart of the human experience. Through its vivid imagery and powerful language, it explores the many facets of mortality, from the fear and uncertainty it inspires to the acceptance and transcendence it can ultimately bring. It invites us to confront our own mortality and to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our lives, and it reminds us that even in the face of death, there is still beauty, wisdom, and hope to be found.
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