'A Cry' by Sara Teasdale
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Oh, there are eyes that he can see,
And hands to make his hands rejoice,
But to my lover I must be
Only a voice.
Oh, there are breasts to bear his head,
And lips whereon his lips can lie,
But I must be till I am dead
Only a cry.
Submitted by Venus
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Cry by Sara Teasdale: A Haunting Elegy on the Nature of Love
As I read Sara Teasdale's poem "A Cry" for the first time, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of melancholy and longing. The poem's sparse language and haunting imagery speak to a universal experience of loss and the desperate desire for connection. In this literary criticism, I will explore the themes of love and loss in Teasdale's poem, as well as examine the poem's use of imagery and structure to convey its emotional impact.
Background of the Poem
"A Cry" was published in Teasdale's second collection of poetry, "Helen of Troy and Other Poems," in 1911. Teasdale was a prolific writer who published several collections of poetry during her lifetime, and was a respected voice in the literary world of her time. She was known for her lyrical style and her ability to convey complex emotions with clarity and simplicity.
Themes of Love and Loss
The central theme of "A Cry" is love and the pain of its absence. The poem is addressed to an unnamed lover who is no longer present, and the speaker's longing for that person is palpable throughout. The poem begins with the lines,
O white little lights at Carthage,
Afar and alone at sea,
Whisper of love to my lover
And bring him back to me.
These lines establish the sense of separation and distance that runs throughout the poem. The speaker is separated from her lover by physical distance, but also by emotional distance. The "white little lights at Carthage" serve as a symbol of hope and connection, as the speaker asks them to "whisper of love" and bring her lover back to her.
As the poem progresses, the speaker's desperation and longing become more pronounced. She implores the sea to "bring him back to me," and asks the wind to "carry my cry to him." The repetition of the plea for her lover to return underscores the intensity of the speaker's desire.
The final lines of the poem reveal the full extent of the speaker's anguish:
Oh, the wind blows cold to-night
And the sea has a cruel roar,
And my heart is sick with longing
And I pine for evermore.
The use of the word "sick" to describe the speaker's heart emphasizes the physical and emotional toll that longing has taken on her. The final line, "And I pine for evermore," is a powerful statement of the speaker's unending desire.
Imagery and Structure
Teasdale's use of imagery and structure in "A Cry" contributes to the poem's emotional impact. The poem is composed of four stanzas of four lines each, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB. The structure is simple and unadorned, which allows the poem's emotional content to speak for itself.
The poem's imagery is also spare, but potent. The "white little lights at Carthage" serve as a symbol of hope and connection, while the sea and wind represent the forces that separate the speaker from her lover. The sea is described as having a "cruel roar," which creates a sense of danger and threat. The wind, on the other hand, is asked to "carry my cry" to the speaker's lover, which suggests a sense of urgency and desperation.
One particularly haunting image in the poem is the line, "And I pine for evermore." The word "pine" suggests a slow, agonizing process of decline, while the phrase "evermore" suggests an unending, eternal longing. The use of this image underscores the depth of the speaker's desolation.
Conclusion
In "A Cry," Sara Teasdale has crafted a haunting elegy on the nature of love and loss. The poem's spare language and potent imagery create a sense of longing and desperation that is both universal and deeply personal. The poem's structure serves to emphasize its emotional content, while the repeated plea for the lover's return underscores the intensity of the speaker's desire. "A Cry" is a powerful expression of the human experience of separation and longing, and a testament to Teasdale's skill as a poet.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Cry: An Analysis of Sara Teasdale's Classic Poem
Sara Teasdale's poem "A Cry" is a powerful and emotional piece that captures the essence of human suffering and the desire for release. The poem is a cry for help, a plea for someone to hear the speaker's pain and offer comfort. In this analysis, we will explore the themes and literary devices used in the poem to understand its deeper meaning.
The poem begins with the speaker's declaration that she is crying out for help. She is in a state of despair and is seeking someone to hear her. The first line, "Take me and hide me in your heart," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is asking for refuge, a safe place to hide from the pain and suffering she is experiencing.
The second line, "Dear love of mine, I am tired," reveals the source of the speaker's pain. She is tired of the struggle, tired of the pain, and tired of the loneliness. The use of the word "love" suggests that the speaker is addressing someone she cares deeply about, perhaps a romantic partner or a close friend.
The third line, "The long hush is over," is a metaphor for the speaker's emotional state. The "long hush" represents the silence and isolation she has been experiencing, and the fact that it is "over" suggests that she is ready to break free from it.
The fourth line, "And I am crying again," is a repetition of the first line, emphasizing the speaker's desperation and need for help. The use of the word "again" suggests that the speaker has been crying for a long time, and that her pain is ongoing.
The fifth line, "Oh, for the time to come," is a plea for relief. The speaker is looking forward to a time when her pain will be over, when she will find peace and happiness. The use of the word "oh" adds to the emotional intensity of the line, conveying the speaker's longing and desperation.
The sixth line, "When grief shall be a memory," is a powerful statement of hope. The speaker is looking forward to a time when her grief will no longer be a part of her life, when it will be nothing more than a memory. This line is a reminder that even in the midst of pain and suffering, there is always hope for a better future.
The seventh line, "And tears shall cease to flow," is a continuation of the previous line. The speaker is looking forward to a time when her tears will no longer be necessary, when she will be able to find joy and happiness without the burden of grief.
The eighth line, "And I shall find some sleep," is a statement of the speaker's need for rest. She is exhausted from the emotional turmoil she has been experiencing, and she is looking forward to a time when she will be able to find some peace and rest.
The ninth line, "And I shall see your face," is a reminder of the speaker's connection to the person she is addressing. The use of the word "your" suggests that the speaker is addressing someone specific, someone she cares deeply about. The line is a reminder that even in the midst of pain and suffering, there are people who care about us and who can offer us comfort and support.
The tenth line, "And I shall know your heart," is a continuation of the previous line. The speaker is looking forward to a time when she will be able to connect with the person she is addressing on a deeper level, when she will be able to understand their thoughts and feelings.
The eleventh line, "And you shall hear my cry," is a reminder that the speaker is still in need of help. She is still crying out for someone to hear her pain and offer her comfort.
The twelfth line, "And hold me till the dawn," is a powerful statement of the speaker's need for physical comfort. She is asking the person she is addressing to hold her until the morning, to offer her a safe place to rest and find comfort.
The thirteenth line, "And I shall tell you all my dreams," is a reminder that even in the midst of pain and suffering, there are still things to hope for. The speaker is looking forward to a time when she will be able to share her dreams with the person she is addressing, to find joy and happiness in the future.
The fourteenth line, "And you shall know their worth," is a continuation of the previous line. The speaker is looking forward to a time when the person she is addressing will be able to understand the importance of her dreams, to see their value and worth.
The fifteenth line, "And I shall be your love," is a powerful statement of the speaker's desire for connection. She is looking forward to a time when she will be able to offer love and support to the person she is addressing, to find a deep and meaningful connection with them.
The final line, "And you shall be my star," is a beautiful metaphor for the person the speaker is addressing. The star represents a source of light and guidance, a symbol of hope and inspiration. The line is a reminder that even in the midst of pain and suffering, there are people who can offer us comfort and support, who can be a guiding light in our lives.
In conclusion, Sara Teasdale's poem "A Cry" is a powerful and emotional piece that captures the essence of human suffering and the desire for release. The poem is a cry for help, a plea for someone to hear the speaker's pain and offer comfort. Through the use of powerful metaphors and emotional language, Teasdale conveys the depth of the speaker's pain and the hope for a better future. The poem is a reminder that even in the midst of pain and suffering, there is always hope for a better tomorrow, and that there are people who care about us and who can offer us comfort and support.
Editor Recommended Sites
Webassembly Solutions: Webassembly consulting in DFWML Platform: Machine Learning Platform on AWS and GCP, comparison and similarities across cloud ml platforms
Named-entity recognition: Upload your data and let our system recognize the wikidata taxonomy people and places, and the IAB categories
Data Driven Approach - Best data driven techniques & Hypothesis testing for software engineeers: Best practice around data driven engineering improvement
Database Ops - Liquibase best practice for cloud & Flyway best practice for cloud: Best practice using Liquibase and Flyway for database operations. Query cloud resources with chatGPT
Recommended Similar Analysis
It 's no use by Sappho analysisThe Power Of Words by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
My Heart's In The Highlands by Robert Burns analysis
The Nymph's Reply To The Shepherd by Sir Walter Raleigh analysis
Love's Function Is To Fabricate Unknownness by e.e. cummings analysis
The Argument Of His Book by Robert Herrick analysis
The Slave's Dream by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow analysis
The Little Boy Found by William Blake analysis
Troilus And Criseyde: Book 01 by Geoffrey Chaucer analysis
Provide, Provide by Robert Frost analysis