'Babette' by Robert Service
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My Lady is dancing so lightly,
The belle of the Embassy Ball;
I lied as I kissed her politely,
And hurried away from it all.
I'm taxiing up to Montmartre,
With never a pang of regret,
To toy for awhile with the garter
Of her whom I know as Babette.
My Lady's an exquisite creature,
As rare as a queen on a throne;
She's faultless in form and in feature,
But oh, she is cold as a stone.
And so from her presence I hurry,
Her iciness quick to forget
In sensuous joy as I bury
My face in the breast of Babette.
She's only a flower of the pavement;
With Paris and Spring in her eyes;
Yet I who foresaw what the grave meant
Of passion behold with surprise,
When she greets me as gay as a linnet,
Afar from life's fever and fret
I'm twenty years younger the minute
I enter the room of Babette.
The poor little supper she offers
Is more than a banquet to me;
A different bif-tik she proffers,
Pommes frit and a morsel of Brie;
We finish with coffee and kisses,
Then sit on the sofa and pet . . .
At the Embassy Mumm never misses,
But pinard's my drink with Babette.
Somehow and somewhere to my thinking,
There's a bit of apache in us all;
In bistros I'd rather be drinking,
Than dance at the Embassy Ball.
How often I feel I would barter
My place in the social set,
To roam in a moonlit Montmartre,
Alone with my little Babette.
I'm no longer young and I'm greying;
I'm tailored, top-hatted, kid-gloved,
And though in dark ways i be straying,
It's heaven to love and beloved;
The passion of youth to re-capture. . . .
My Lady's perfection and yet
When I kiss her I think of the rapture
I find in the charms of Babette -
Entwined in the arms of Babettte.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Babette by Robert Service: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Warning: This literary criticism and interpretation contains spoilers.
Are you looking for a poem that will hit you right in the feels? Look no further than Robert Service's "Babette." This classic poem tells the tragic tale of a woman named Babette who is forced to choose between her love for her husband and her duty to her family.
At its core, "Babette" is a story about love and sacrifice. Babette is torn between two loves: her love for her husband and her love for her family. When her husband is accused of a crime, Babette must choose between standing by him and risking the wrath of her family, or abandoning him to save her family's honor.
The poem begins by setting the scene: Babette and her husband live a quiet life in a humble cottage. They are poor but happy, and their love for each other is strong. However, their happiness is short-lived when Babette's family accuses her husband of stealing. Babette knows that her husband is innocent, but she also knows that her family will not believe her. She is faced with an impossible choice: betray her husband or betray her family.
The poem beautifully captures Babette's inner turmoil as she struggles to make her decision. Service's use of repetition emphasizes Babette's conflicted feelings:
She thought of her mother and father dear,
Of her brother and sisters far and near;
She thought of her kinfolk proud and cold,
And her heart grew sick with a terror untold.
Babette's love for her husband is pitted against her love for her family, and her agony is palpable. It's impossible not to feel for her as she grapples with her impossible decision.
In the end, Babette chooses to betray her husband. She knows that he is innocent, but she also knows that her family will never believe her. She sacrifices her love for her husband to save her family's honor.
The poem's final stanza is devastating:
She stood up straight, and her eyes were wild,
And she spoke with a voice that trembled mild:
"I will go with you, and never fear,
Though my heart break here at leaving, dear."
The emotion in these lines is almost unbearable. Babette's sacrifice is heartbreaking, and it's impossible not to feel her pain.
So, what can we take away from "Babette"? At its heart, this poem is about the power of love and the sacrifices we make for it. Babette's decision is a heartbreaking one, but it's also a testament to the strength of her love for both her husband and her family.
Service's use of repetition and vivid imagery make "Babette" an incredibly powerful poem. The reader can feel Babette's pain and anguish, and the final stanza is a gut-punch that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.
In conclusion, "Babette" is a beautiful and tragic poem about love and sacrifice. It's impossible not to feel for Babette as she makes her impossible decision, and the poem's final stanza is a devastating conclusion to a heartbreaking story. If you're looking for a poem that will leave you emotionally raw, "Babette" is the perfect choice.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Babette: A Poem of Love and Loss
Robert Service's "Babette" is a classic poem that tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with a sailor and waits for him to return from his voyages. The poem is a beautiful and poignant exploration of love, loss, and the passage of time.
The poem begins with Babette waiting for her lover, who has been away at sea for three years. She is filled with anticipation and longing, and her heart beats with the rhythm of the waves. Service's use of imagery is masterful, as he paints a vivid picture of Babette's emotions and the world around her.
As the poem progresses, we learn more about Babette and her love for the sailor. She is a simple woman, with no wealth or status, but her love for the sailor is pure and true. She waits for him with unwavering devotion, even as the years pass and her beauty fades.
Service's portrayal of Babette is both sympathetic and realistic. He captures the essence of a woman who has given her heart to a man who may never return, and who must endure the pain of waiting and uncertainty. Babette's love is both a source of strength and a burden, and Service's poem captures this dichotomy perfectly.
The poem's climax comes when Babette finally receives news of her lover's fate. He has been lost at sea, and Babette is left to mourn his passing. Service's description of Babette's grief is heart-wrenching, as she weeps for the man she loved and the life they might have had together.
But even in the midst of her sorrow, Babette finds a measure of solace. She realizes that her love for the sailor was not in vain, and that it will live on in her memory. Service's final lines are a testament to the power of love and the resilience of the human spirit:
"And though she's old and stooped and gray, She rocks and dreams the years away, And murmurs with a smile and sigh, `My man, my man, that passed me by!'"
In these lines, Babette's love transcends time and space, and becomes a part of her very being. She may be old and frail, but her love for the sailor endures, and gives her comfort in her final years.
In conclusion, "Babette" is a classic poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. Service's masterful use of imagery and language creates a vivid and poignant portrait of a woman who waits for her lover, only to lose him to the sea. But even in the face of tragedy, Babette's love endures, and becomes a part of her very being. This poem is a testament to the power of love, and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope.
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