'Garden' by H.D.
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I
You are clear
O rose, cut in rock,
hard as the descent of hail.
I could scrape the colour
from the petals
like spilt dye from a rock.
If I could break you
I could break a tree.
If I could stir
I could break a tree—
I could break you.
II
O wind, rend open the heat,
cut apart the heat,
rend it to tatters.
Fruit cannot drop
through this thick air—
fruit cannot fall into heat
that presses up and blunts
the points of pears
and rounds the grapes.
Cut the heat—
plough through it,
turning it on either side
of your path.
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Fresh Take on H.D.'s Garden
Finally, I get to talk about H.D.'s Garden. This poem has been in my mind for weeks, and I can't wait to unpack its rich imagery, delicate language, and enigmatic meanings.
From the outset, the poem sets a calm and idyllic scene of a garden in bloom. But as you read on, you realize that there's something else going on here. The Garden is not just a physical space but a metaphor for the speaker's inner life. The plants, flowers, and trees stand for emotions, memories, and experiences that have shaped the speaker's identity.
The poem's language is simple and direct, yet it carries a lot of emotional weight. H.D. uses sensory details to create a vivid picture of the Garden, and we can almost smell the "scent of the lemon trees," "the faint, honeyed apricot bloom," and "the red of the rose-hips."
But what I find most striking about the poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "in the Garden" appears six times, and each time, it takes on a slightly different meaning. At first, it feels like a peaceful oasis where the speaker can escape from the world. But then, as the poem progresses, we realize that "in the Garden" is also a place of pain, regret, and loss.
For example, the line "I remember the lilies, / how they grew taller than / I was, and how pure / they were, in the night" is both beautiful and haunting. On the surface, it's a simple observation about the lilies' height and purity. But when we read it in the context of the poem, it takes on a more ominous tone. The lilies, like the speaker, have grown taller but also more vulnerable, more exposed to the world's harshness. The purity of the lilies is a contrast to the speaker's own tainted memories and experiences.
Another interesting aspect of the poem is its use of color. H.D. mentions several colors - red, gold, blue, green - each of which has symbolic significance. Red, for example, is associated with passion, love, and blood. Gold represents wealth, power, and the sun. Blue is linked to calmness, serenity, and sadness, while green denotes growth, renewal, and envy. By using these colors, H.D. is creating a visual and emotional landscape for the reader, inviting us to explore the Garden's secrets.
But what is the Garden's secret? What is H.D. trying to say with this poem? There are several interpretations, depending on how you read it. One possibility is that the Garden represents the speaker's lost innocence, a place where she can never return. Another is that it's a metaphor for the cycle of life and death, with the plants and flowers blooming and withering away, just like human beings.
But my favorite interpretation is that the Garden represents the creative process of writing poetry. The speaker, like a poet, is tending to her garden, carefully selecting the right words, images, and metaphors to convey her thoughts and emotions. The Garden is a blank canvas, a space where the speaker can experiment with language and form, and where she can find solace and inspiration.
In conclusion, H.D.'s Garden is a beautiful and enigmatic poem that rewards multiple readings and interpretations. It's a meditation on memory, loss, and regeneration, using the metaphor of a garden to explore the human experience. Through its vivid imagery, delicate language, and strategic repetition, the poem invites us to enter its world and discover its secrets. And like any good garden, it leaves us with a sense of wonder and awe.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Garden by H.D.: A Masterpiece of Imagery and Symbolism
H.D. (Hilda Doolittle) was a poet, novelist, and memoirist who lived from 1886 to 1961. She was a member of the Imagist movement, which emphasized the use of precise and concrete images to convey emotions and ideas. Garden, one of her most famous poems, is a perfect example of this style. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and symbolism of this masterpiece.
The poem begins with a description of a garden in winter:
Like a skein of loose silk blown against a wall
She walks by the railing of a path in Kensington Gardens,
And she is dying piece-meal
of a sort of emotional anemia.
The first line sets the tone for the entire poem. The image of a skein of loose silk blown against a wall is both delicate and fragile. It suggests that the speaker is vulnerable and exposed. The second line introduces the setting: Kensington Gardens, a public park in London. The third line reveals the speaker's state of mind: she is dying piece-meal of a sort of emotional anemia. This phrase is both powerful and ambiguous. It suggests that the speaker is slowly losing her vitality and energy, but it also implies that her condition is emotional rather than physical.
The next stanza continues the theme of decay and loss:
And round about there is a rabble
Of the filthy, sturdy, unkillable infants of the very poor.
They shall inherit the earth.
The contrast between the speaker's fragile state and the robustness of the children is striking. The children are described as filthy, sturdy, and unkillable, suggesting that they are survivors in a harsh world. The phrase "they shall inherit the earth" is a biblical reference (Matthew 5:5) that suggests that the meek and humble will eventually triumph over the powerful and arrogant.
The third stanza introduces a new image:
In her is the end of breeding.
Her boredom is exquisite and excessive.
She would like some one to speak to her,
And is almost afraid that I
will commit that indiscretion.
The phrase "the end of breeding" is another ambiguous phrase. It could mean that the speaker is the last of her family line, or it could mean that she has lost her ability to reproduce. The line "her boredom is exquisite and excessive" suggests that the speaker is suffering from ennui, a sense of listlessness and dissatisfaction. The final two lines introduce a new character, "I," who is almost afraid to speak to the speaker. This suggests that the speaker is isolated and alone.
The fourth stanza returns to the theme of decay:
Now she is running
In spite of the wind, in spite of the noon.
The damp leaves cling to her ankles,
Or she has trodden on them and the damp smell of them
Is filling her nostrils.
The image of the speaker running in spite of the wind and noon suggests that she is trying to escape from something. The damp leaves that cling to her ankles suggest that she is running through a decaying landscape. The phrase "the damp smell of them is filling her nostrils" is a powerful image that suggests that the speaker is surrounded by decay and death.
The final stanza introduces a new image:
She runs on among them,
Little sisters whom she loathes.
Their knees, their elbows
Are marshaled and white,
As for a holy procession.
The image of the little sisters whom the speaker loathes is a powerful one. It suggests that the speaker is alienated from the world around her. The final two lines introduce a religious image, "as for a holy procession." This suggests that the speaker is searching for something sacred or meaningful in her life.
Overall, Garden is a powerful and evocative poem that uses imagery and symbolism to convey a sense of decay, loss, and isolation. The garden in the poem is a metaphor for the speaker's life, which is slowly decaying and dying. The children in the poem represent the future, which the speaker fears she will not be a part of. The final image of the holy procession suggests that the speaker is searching for something sacred or meaningful in her life. H.D.'s use of precise and concrete images makes this poem a masterpiece of modernist poetry.
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