'The Portrait' by Robert Service
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The portrait there above my bed
They tell me is a work of art;
My Wife,--since twenty years she's dead:
Her going nearly broke my heart.
Alas! No little ones we had
To light our hearth with joy and glee;
Yet as I linger lone and sad
I know she's waiting me.
The picture? Sargent painted it,
And it has starred in many a show.
Her eyes are on me where I sit,
And follow me where'er I go.
She'll smile like that when I am gone,
And I am frail and oh so ill!
Aye, when I'm waxen, cold and wan,
Lo! She'll be smiling still.
So I have bade them slash in strips
That relic of my paradise.
Let flame destroy those lovely lips
And char the starlight of her eyes!
No human gaze shall ever see
Her beauty,--stranger heart to stir:
Nay, her last smile shall be for me,
My last look be for her.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Portrait by Robert Service: A Masterpiece of Emotional Poetry
Have you ever read a poem that touched your heart so deeply that you couldn't help but feel every word, every emotion, every thought expressed therein? Have you ever come across a writer who had the power to transport you to another world, to make you forget your own existence, and to immerse you in a world of beauty and pain? If you haven't, then you must read The Portrait by Robert Service, a masterpiece of emotional poetry that will leave you breathless, moved, and inspired.
The Setting: A Portrait of Love and Loss
The poem is set in a quiet room, where a man is staring at a portrait of his beloved. The portrait is described in vivid detail, from the "golden hair that streamed like sunlight" to the "red, red lips that laughed like joy." The man is filled with memories of his beloved, memories of her laughter, her tears, her touch, and her love. But now she is gone, and all that remains is a portrait that captures the essence of her beauty, her spirit, and her soul.
The setting is simple yet powerful, for it captures the essence of love and loss in a way that is both poignant and profound. The man is not just staring at a portrait; he is staring at the embodiment of his memories, the symbol of his love, and the reminder of his loss. He is lost in his thoughts, his feelings, and his grief, and the portrait is the only thing that connects him to his beloved.
The Themes: Love, Loss, Memory, and Art
The poem explores several themes that are fundamental to the human experience, such as love, loss, memory, and art. Love is portrayed as a powerful force that can transform a person's life, fill it with meaning, and give it purpose. The man's love for the woman in the portrait is deep, intense, and all-consuming, and it is the driving force behind his thoughts and emotions.
Loss, on the other hand, is portrayed as a painful and inevitable aspect of life. The man has lost his beloved, and he is struggling to come to terms with her absence. He is haunted by memories of her, and he feels her absence like a physical ache. Yet, even in his grief, he finds solace in the portrait, for it reminds him of the beauty and joy that once filled his life.
Memory is also a central theme, for it is through memory that the man is able to relive his experiences with his beloved. He remembers her laughter, her tears, her touch, and her love, and he captures them all in his mind's eye. Memory is both a blessing and a curse, for it allows us to relive our past experiences, but it also reminds us of what we have lost.
Art is another theme that is explored in the poem, for the portrait is not just a representation of the woman's physical appearance; it is a work of art that captures her essence, her spirit, and her soul. The man is not just staring at a portrait; he is staring at a masterpiece that has the power to move him, to inspire him, and to give him hope.
The Structure: A Masterful Use of Rhyme and Meter
The poem is structured in quatrains, with an ABAB rhyme scheme that gives it a musical quality. The meter is iambic tetrameter, which means that each line has four iambs, or sets of two syllables, with the stress falling on the second syllable of each set. This gives the poem a steady rhythm that is easy to follow, yet it also allows for variations that add interest and depth.
The use of rhyme and meter is masterful, for it creates a sense of unity and coherence that ties the poem together. The rhyme scheme gives the poem a sense of symmetry and balance, while the meter gives it a sense of momentum and flow. The variations in the rhyme scheme and meter add interest and variety, yet they never disrupt the overall structure and rhythm of the poem.
The Language: A Delicate Balance of Beauty and Pain
The language of the poem is beautiful, evocative, and lyrical, yet it is also infused with pain, grief, and loss. Service uses a delicate balance of beauty and pain to create a powerful emotional impact on the reader. The descriptions of the portrait are filled with images of beauty and joy, yet they are juxtaposed with the man's grief and loneliness.
The language is also rich in symbolism, for the portrait is not just a representation of the woman's physical appearance; it is a symbol of her spirit and her soul. The golden hair symbolizes her radiance and her joy, while the red lips symbolize her passion and her love. The portrait is not just a work of art; it is a symbol of the man's love, his loss, and his memories.
The Interpretation: A Poem of Love, Loss, and the Power of Art
The Portrait by Robert Service is a poem of love, loss, memory, and the power of art. It captures the essence of the human experience in a way that is both beautiful and painful, evocative and profound. The man's love for the woman in the portrait is deep and intense, yet it is tinged with grief and loss. He is haunted by memories of her, yet he finds solace and comfort in the portrait.
The portrait is not just a representation of the woman's physical appearance; it is a symbol of her spirit and her soul. It is a masterpiece of art that captures her essence, her beauty, and her love. It is a reminder of what the man has lost, yet it is also a source of inspiration and hope. Through the power of art, the man is able to transcend his grief and to find comfort and solace in the beauty of his memories.
In conclusion, The Portrait by Robert Service is a masterpiece of emotional poetry that captures the essence of love, loss, memory, and art. It is a poem that will touch your heart, move your soul, and inspire your mind. If you haven't read it yet, you must read it now, for it is a work of art that will stay with you forever.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Portrait: A Masterpiece of Emotion and Imagery
Robert Service's poem "The Portrait" is a masterpiece of emotion and imagery that captures the essence of love, loss, and memory. The poem is a poignant tribute to a loved one who has passed away, and it explores the power of art to preserve memories and emotions.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a portrait of a woman that he has hung on his wall. The portrait is a vivid representation of the woman's beauty, and the speaker is clearly deeply moved by it. He describes the woman's eyes as "deep and dark and clear," and her lips as "red as wine." The portrait is so lifelike that the speaker feels as though the woman is still alive, and he speaks to her as if she were in the room with him.
As the poem progresses, the speaker reveals that the woman in the portrait is actually dead. He speaks of her in the past tense, and he describes how he has been haunted by her memory since her death. He says that he has tried to forget her, but he cannot, and he has turned to the portrait as a way of keeping her memory alive.
The poem is full of powerful imagery that evokes the emotions of the speaker. The woman in the portrait is described as "a rose in bloom," and the speaker says that he can almost smell her perfume. He speaks of her as if she were a living, breathing person, and he describes how her memory fills him with both joy and sorrow.
The poem is also full of symbolism that adds depth and meaning to the speaker's emotions. The portrait itself is a symbol of the woman's beauty and the power of art to preserve memories. The woman's eyes are a symbol of her soul, and the speaker says that he can see her soul in the portrait. The rose is a symbol of love and passion, and it represents the intensity of the speaker's feelings for the woman.
One of the most powerful aspects of the poem is the way that it captures the universal experience of loss and grief. The speaker's emotions are raw and intense, and they resonate with anyone who has ever lost a loved one. The poem speaks to the power of art to help us cope with loss and to keep the memory of our loved ones alive.
In conclusion, "The Portrait" is a masterpiece of emotion and imagery that captures the essence of love, loss, and memory. The poem is a powerful tribute to a loved one who has passed away, and it explores the power of art to preserve memories and emotions. The poem is full of vivid imagery and powerful symbolism that add depth and meaning to the speaker's emotions. It is a poem that speaks to the universal experience of loss and grief, and it reminds us of the power of art to help us cope with our emotions and keep the memory of our loved ones alive.
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