'Wallflower' by Robert Service

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Till midnight her needle she plied
To finish her pretty pink dress;
"Oh, bless you, my darling," she sighed;
"I hope you will be a success."
As she entered the Oddfellow's Hall
With the shy thrill of maiden romance
She felt like the belle of the Ball,
But . . . nobody asked her to dance.

Her programme was clutched in her hand;
Her smile was a tiny bit wan;
She listened, applauding the band,
Pretending she liked to look on.
Each girl had her favourite swain,
She watched them retreat and advance;
She waited and waited in vain,
but nobody asked her to dance.

Said Mother to me: "You'll agree
That any young girl who wears specs,
however so clever she be,
Is lacking in glamour of sex."
Said I: "There is one by the wall
Who doesn't seem having a chance.
She's ready to weep - Dash it all,
I'm going to ask her to dance."

I caught her just slipping away
So quietly no one would know;
But bravely she tried to seem gay,
Though her heart might be aching with woe.
Poor kid! She looked only sixteen,
And she gave me a half frightened glance
When I bowed as if she were a Queen,
And I begged: "May I please have this dance?"

She gave me her card: what a bluff!
She'd written "Sir G." and "Sir G."
So I cut out that Galahad stuff,
And I scribbled "M.E" and "M.E.";
She looked so forlorn and so frail,
Submitting like one in a trance,
So I acted the conquering male,
And guided her into the dance.

Then lo! to my joy and surprise
Her waltzing I found was divine;
And she took those damn specs from her eyes,
And behold they were jewels a-shine;
No lipstick nor rouge she had on,
But no powder or paint could enhance
On her cheeks the twin roses shone
As I had with her dance after dance.

Then all of a sudden I knew
As we waltzed and reversed round the hall
That all eyes were watching us two,
And that she was the Belle of the Ball.
The fellows came buzzing like bees,
With swagger and posture and prance,
But her programme was full of "M.E."s,
So she couldn't afford them a dance.

Said mother: "You've been a nice boy,
But had a good time I suppose.
You've filled that poor kid's heart with joy,
From now she'll have plenty of beaus." . . .
So fellows, please listen to me:
Don't look at a wallflower askance;
If a girl sitting lonely you see,
Just bow, smile and beg for a dance.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Wallflower by Robert Service

A Literary Criticism and Interpretation

Have you ever felt like a wallflower? Like you're on the sidelines, watching others dance and socialize, while you stand there unnoticed and unappreciated? Robert Service's classic poem, Wallflower, speaks to this experience and offers a poignant reflection on the nature of love, beauty, and loneliness. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll explore the themes, imagery, and language of Wallflower and consider how they enhance our understanding of this timeless poem.

Themes

At its core, Wallflower is a meditation on the power of beauty and the pain of unrequited love. The poem invites us into the inner world of a wallflower, a person who is overlooked and ignored in social situations. The speaker of the poem tells us that they are "a shy unnoticed thing," and they lament the fact that they can't attract the attention of the people they admire:

I'm such a lonely thing -
A flower on a wall,
A wallflower, a shy unnoticed thing,
That nobody knows at all.

But there's one I watch all night,
Every night till dawn:
A lady who's gay and bright,
And delicately drawn.

The speaker's focus on this one person, this lady who is "gay and bright," suggests that they are in love with her or at least deeply infatuated. However, their love is unrequited; the lady doesn't notice them or acknowledge their presence. This theme of unreciprocated love is a common one in literature and speaks to the universal human experience of loving someone who doesn't love us back.

Another theme that runs through Wallflower is the idea of the power of beauty. The lady that the speaker admires is described in glowing terms; she is "gay and bright," "delicately drawn," and "radiant with grace." The speaker is drawn to her beauty, and it is the source of their longing and pain. This theme of beauty as a powerful force is also a common one in literature, and it speaks to the idea that we are all drawn to beautiful things, even if they are ultimately unattainable.

Imagery

The imagery in Wallflower is simple but powerful. The wallflower, the shy unnoticed thing, is a metaphor for the speaker themselves. The image of a flower growing on a wall suggests something that is fragile and vulnerable but also tenacious and resilient. The wallflower is a survivor, growing in a place where it is unlikely to thrive, and this image resonates with the idea of the speaker as someone who is overlooked and ignored but still has the capacity for love and longing.

The lady that the speaker admires is described in vivid and sensual terms. She is "radiant with grace," and her beauty is compared to that of a flower. This image of the lady as a flower is an example of a literary device called a simile, where one thing is compared to another using the words "like" or "as." This image is an effective one because it underscores the theme of beauty as a powerful force while also emphasizing the lady's delicate and fragile nature.

Language

The language in Wallflower is simple and direct, but it is also rich with emotion and meaning. The poem is written in free verse, which means that it doesn't have a regular meter or rhyme scheme. This lack of formal structure gives the poem a sense of spontaneity and emotional urgency, as if the speaker is pouring out their heart onto the page.

One of the most striking features of the language in Wallflower is the use of repetition. The words "wallflower" and "lonely" are repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker's isolation and sense of disconnection from the world around them. The repetition of the lady's name, "Marie," also underscores the speaker's fixation on her and their inability to let go of their love for her.

The language in Wallflower is also notable for its use of sensory detail. The lady's beauty is described in terms of sight and touch; she is "radiant with grace," "delicately drawn," and her skin is "as soft as a rose." These sensory descriptions make the lady's beauty feel real and tangible, and they also serve to intensify the speaker's longing for her.

Conclusion

Wallflower is a timeless and universal poem that speaks to the human experience of love, beauty, and loneliness. The poem's themes of unrequited love and the power of beauty are explored through vivid and powerful imagery and language. The wallflower and the lady Marie are both vivid and memorable characters, and the poem's repetition and sensory detail make them feel real and alive. Ultimately, Wallflower is a poem that reminds us of the pain and beauty of being human, and it invites us to reflect on our own experiences of love and longing.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Wallflower: A Poem of Love, Loneliness, and Self-Discovery

Robert Service's "Wallflower" is a classic poem that explores the themes of love, loneliness, and self-discovery. The poem tells the story of a young woman who is a wallflower, someone who is shy and introverted and often overlooked by others. Through her experiences, the poem explores the challenges of finding love and acceptance, as well as the importance of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

The poem begins with a description of the wallflower, who is "pale and shy and quiet" and "never says a word." She is described as someone who is "always in the background," someone who is easily overlooked and forgotten. The poem then introduces the object of her affection, a young man who is "bold and gay and handsome" and who "never looks her way."

The contrast between the wallflower and the young man is stark, highlighting the differences between them and the challenges that the wallflower faces in trying to find love and acceptance. The young man is confident and outgoing, while the wallflower is shy and introverted. He is popular and well-liked, while she is overlooked and forgotten.

Despite these differences, the wallflower is deeply in love with the young man, and she longs for his attention and affection. She dreams of being with him and imagines a future where they are together, but she knows that this is unlikely to happen. She is resigned to her fate as a wallflower, someone who will always be on the sidelines, watching others live their lives.

The poem then takes a turn, as the wallflower begins to question her own identity and her place in the world. She wonders if she is truly happy being a wallflower, or if she is simply afraid to take risks and put herself out there. She begins to explore her own desires and dreams, and she realizes that there is more to life than just being a wallflower.

This realization is a turning point for the wallflower, as she begins to take steps to change her life and pursue her dreams. She starts to speak up more, to take risks, and to put herself out there. She begins to discover her own identity and to embrace her own uniqueness, rather than trying to fit in with others.

The poem ends with the wallflower realizing that she no longer needs the young man's attention or affection to be happy. She has found happiness within herself, and she is content to be who she is, rather than trying to be someone else. She has discovered the power of self-love and self-acceptance, and she is no longer a wallflower, but a confident and empowered woman.

Overall, "Wallflower" is a powerful poem that explores the themes of love, loneliness, and self-discovery. It tells the story of a young woman who is a wallflower, someone who is shy and introverted and often overlooked by others. Through her experiences, the poem highlights the challenges of finding love and acceptance, as well as the importance of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

The poem is also a reminder that we all have the power to change our lives and pursue our dreams. We don't have to be defined by our circumstances or our past experiences. We can choose to embrace our own uniqueness and to pursue our own passions and desires. We can choose to be confident and empowered, rather than shy and introverted.

In conclusion, "Wallflower" is a timeless poem that speaks to the human experience of love, loneliness, and self-discovery. It is a reminder that we all have the power to change our lives and pursue our dreams, and that true happiness comes from within.

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