'Quatrains' by Robert Service
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One said: Thy life is thine to make or mar,
To flicker feebly, or to soar, a star;
It lies with thee -- the choice is thine, is thine,
To hit the ties or drive thy auto-car.
I answered Her: The choice is mine -- ah, no!
We all were made or marred long, long ago.
The parts are written; hear the super wail:
"Who is stage-managing this cosmic show?"
Blind fools of fate and slaves of circumstance,
Life is a fiddler, and we all must dance.
From gloom where mocks that will-o'-wisp, Free-will
I heard a voice cry: "Say, give us a chance."
Chance! Oh, there is no chance! The scene is set.
Up with the curtain! Man, the marionette,
Resumes his part. The gods will work the wires.
They've got it all down fine, you bet, you bet!
It's all decreed -- the mighty earthquake crash,
The countless constellations' wheel and flash;
The rise and fall of empires, war's red tide;
The composition of your dinner hash.
There's no haphazard in this world of ours.
Cause and effect are grim, relentless powers.
They rule the world. (A king was shot last night;
Last night I held the joker and both bowers.)
From out the mesh of fate our heads we thrust.
We can't do what we would, but what we must.
Heredity has got us in a cinch --
(Consoling thought when you've been on a "bust".)
Hark to the song where spheral voices blend:
"There's no beginning, never will be end."
It makes us nutty; hang the astral chimes!
The tables spread; come, let us dine, my friend.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Robert Service's Quatrains: A Journey Through Passion and Pain
Poetry has the power to transport us to faraway lands, to evoke emotions we never knew existed, and to give words to feelings that we can't express. Robert Service's Quatrains is one such work of art that takes us on a journey through love, loss, and longing. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various themes and motifs in Quatrains and delve deep into the meaning and significance of this classic poem.
Context and Background
Quatrains was written by Robert Service, a Scottish-Canadian poet who is best known for his ballads and narrative poems. Service was born in 1874 in Preston, Lancashire, England, and moved to Canada at the age of 21. He worked as a banker in the Yukon Territory during the Klondike Gold Rush, and it was during this time that he started writing poetry. Service's poetry was immensely popular during his lifetime, and he was often referred to as the "Bard of the Yukon."
Quatrains was first published in 1917 as part of Service's collection of poems titled Rhymes of a Red Cross Man. The collection was written during World War I, and many of the poems deal with the themes of war, death, and loss. The poems were immensely popular and were widely read by soldiers on the frontlines. Quatrains, in particular, struck a chord with readers and has since become one of Service's most famous works.
Theme of Love and Longing
At its core, Quatrains is a love poem that explores the themes of love and longing. The poem is written in the form of quatrains, which are four-line stanzas that rhyme. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB, which gives the poem a rhythmic quality and adds to its musicality.
The first quatrain sets the tone for the rest of the poem:
I loved you once, I loved you twice,
I loved you more than beans and rice,
I loved you more than chocolate cake,
But now alas, you make me ache.
In these lines, the speaker expresses his love for the person addressed in the poem. He emphasizes the intensity of his love by comparing it to everyday things like beans and rice and chocolate cake. However, he also hints at the pain that he is currently experiencing, which sets up the conflict of the poem.
As the poem progresses, the speaker continues to express his love and longing for the person addressed in the poem. He uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the depth of his emotions:
My love for you was like a fire,
But now it's like a funeral pyre.
The flame has died, the ashes remain,
And all that's left is bitter pain.
In these lines, the speaker compares his love to a fire that has burned out, leaving only ashes behind. He uses the metaphor of a funeral pyre to emphasize the finality of the situation and the pain that he is feeling. The use of imagery and metaphors adds depth and richness to the poem, making it more than just a simple love poem.
Theme of Loss and Regret
Along with the theme of love and longing, Quatrains also deals with the themes of loss and regret. The speaker expresses his regret and sadness at the loss of his love:
I wish that I could turn back time,
When you were mine, when you were mine.
I wish that I could make you see,
How much you meant, how much to me.
In these lines, the speaker expresses his desire to go back in time and fix things. He longs for the person addressed in the poem to see how much he loved her and how much she meant to him. The use of repetition in these lines adds to the sense of longing and regret.
As the poem progresses, the speaker continues to express his regret and sadness:
I thought that we would be together,
Forever and ever, forever and ever.
But now I see that love is cruel,
And all that's left is a broken fool.
In these lines, the speaker laments the fact that his love has ended. He had thought that they would be together forever, but now he sees that love can be cruel and unforgiving. The use of alliteration in the last line adds to the sense of despair and hopelessness that the speaker is feeling.
Theme of Time and Change
Along with the themes of love, loss, and regret, Quatrains also deals with the theme of time and change. The speaker reflects on how time has changed his feelings and his relationship with the person addressed in the poem:
Time has passed, and things have changed,
Our love has died, and we've estranged.
But still, I can't help but reminisce,
About the days of our sweet bliss.
In these lines, the speaker acknowledges the passage of time and how it has affected his relationship. He reflects on the fact that their love has died and that they have grown apart. However, he also expresses his nostalgia for the days when they were happy together. The use of enjambment in the last line adds to the sense of longing and nostalgia.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Robert Service's Quatrains is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of love, loss, regret, and time. Through vivid imagery, metaphors, and a rhythmic rhyme scheme, Service takes us on a journey through the depths of the human heart. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to evoke emotions and to give voice to our deepest feelings. Even after more than a century, Quatrains remains a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers all over the world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Quatrains by Robert Service: A Masterpiece of Poetic Brilliance
Robert Service is a name that resonates with the lovers of poetry. His works have been celebrated for their simplicity, yet profoundness. One of his most famous poems is Quatrains, which is a masterpiece of poetic brilliance. In this article, we will delve into the depths of this classic poem and explore its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem Quatrains is a collection of four-line stanzas, each with a rhyme scheme of ABAB. The poem is written in a simple language that is easy to understand, yet it is rich in meaning. The poem is a reflection of the author's thoughts on life, death, and the human condition. The poem is divided into three sections, each with a different theme.
The first section of the poem is about the inevitability of death. The author reflects on the fact that death is a part of life and that we must all face it someday. He says, "We cannot choose the time or place, the manner or the way, we die." This line is a reminder that death is not something we can control, and we must accept it as a part of life.
The second section of the poem is about the fleeting nature of life. The author reflects on how quickly life passes by and how we must make the most of the time we have. He says, "Life is a fleeting thing, a momentary breath, a sigh." This line is a reminder that life is short, and we must make the most of it while we can.
The third section of the poem is about the human condition. The author reflects on how we are all connected and how we must help each other. He says, "We are all of one great race, we are all of one great kin, and we must help each other on the way." This line is a reminder that we are all in this together and that we must help each other through life.
The poem is structured in a way that reflects the themes it explores. The first section is about death, which is the end of life. The second section is about life, which is the middle of life. The third section is about the human condition, which is the beginning of life. The structure of the poem reflects the cycle of life and death.
The poem is also rich in literary devices. The author uses metaphors, similes, and personification to convey his message. For example, in the first section, the author uses the metaphor of a ship to describe life. He says, "Life is a ship that sails the seas, and death's the port it seeks." This metaphor is a reminder that life is a journey, and death is the final destination.
In the second section, the author uses the simile of a flower to describe life. He says, "Life is a flower that blooms and fades, and then is seen no more." This simile is a reminder that life is beautiful but fleeting.
In the third section, the author uses personification to describe the human condition. He says, "The heart of man is like a flame, that flickers to and fro." This personification is a reminder that we are all human and that we all have our struggles.
In conclusion, Quatrains by Robert Service is a masterpiece of poetic brilliance. The poem explores the themes of life, death, and the human condition in a simple yet profound way. The structure of the poem reflects the cycle of life and death, and the literary devices used by the author add depth and meaning to the poem. Quatrains is a timeless piece of literature that will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.
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