'The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers' by Conrad Aiken
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Over the darkened city, the city of towers,
The city of a thousand gates,
Over the gleaming terraced roofs, the huddled towers,
Over a somnolent whisper of loves and hates,
The slow wind flows, drearily streams and falls,
With a mournful sound down rain-dark walls.
On one side purples the lustrous dusk of the sea,
And dreams in white at the city's feet;
On one side sleep the plains, with heaped-up hills.
Oaks and beeches whisper in rings about it.
Above the trees are towers where dread bells beat.
The fisherman draws his streaming net from the sea
And sails toward the far-off city, that seems
Like one vague tower.
The dark bow plunges to foam on blue-black waves,
And shrill rain seethes like a ghostly music about him
In a quiet shower.
Rain with a shrill sings on the lapsing waves;
Rain thrills over the roofs again;
Like a shadow of shifting silver it crosses the city;
The lamps in the streets are streamed with rain;
And sparrows complain beneath deep eaves,
And among whirled leaves
The sea-gulls, blowing from tower to lower tower,
From wall to remoter wall,
Skim with the driven rain to the rising sea-sound
And close grey wings and fall . . .
. . . Hearing great rain above me, I now remember
A girl who stood by the door and shut her eyes:
Her pale cheeks glistened with rain, she stood and shivered.
Into a forest of silver she vanished slowly . . .
Voices about me rise . . .
Voices clear and silvery, voices of raindrops,—
'We struck with silver claws, we struck her down.
We are the ghosts of the singing furies . . . '
A chorus of elfin voices blowing about me
Weaves to a babel of sound. Each cries a secret.
I run among them, reach out vain hands, and drown.
'I am the one who stood beside you and smiled,
Thinking your face so strangely young . . . '
'I am the one who loved you but did not dare.'
'I am the one you followed through crowded streets,
The one who escaped you, the one with red-gleamed hair.'
'I am the one you saw to-day, who fell
Senseless before you, hearing a certain bell:
A bell that broke great memories in my brain.'
'I am the one who passed unnoticed before you,
Invisible, in a cloud of secret pain.'
'I am the one who suddenly cried, beholding
The face of a certain man on the dazzling screen.
They wrote me that he was dead. It was long ago.
I walked in the streets for a long while, hearing nothing,
And returned to see it again. And it was so.'
Weave, weave, weave, you streaks of rain!
I am dissolved and woven again . . .
Thousands of faces rise and vanish before me.
Thousands of voices weave in the rain.
'I am the one who rode beside you, blinking
At a dazzle of golden lights.
Tempests of music swept me: I was thinking
Of the gorgeous promise of certain nights:
Of the woman who suddenly smiled at me this day,
Smiled in a certain delicious sidelong way,
And turned, as she reached the door,
To smile once more . . .
Her hands are whiter than snow on midnight water.
Her throat is golden and full of golden laughter,
Her eyes are strange as the stealth of the moon
On a night in June . . .
She runs among whistling leaves; I hurry after;
She dances in dreams over white-waved water;
Her body is white and fragrant and cool,
Magnolia petals that float on a white-starred pool . . .
I have dreamed of her, dreaming for many nights
Of a broken music and golden lights,
Of broken webs of silver, heavily falling
Between my hands and their white desire:
And dark-leaved boughs, edged with a golden radiance,
Dipping to screen a fire . . .
I dream that I walk with her beneath high trees,
But as I lean to kiss her face,
She is blown aloft on wind, I catch at leaves,
And run in a moonless place;
And I hear a crashing of terrible rocks flung down,
And shattering trees and cracking walls,
And a net of intense white flame roars over the town,
And someone cries; and darkness falls . . .
But now she has leaned and smiled at me,
My veins are afire with music,
Her eyes have kissed me, my body is turned to light;
I shall dream to her secret heart tonight . . . '
He rises and moves away, he says no word,
He folds his evening paper and turns away;
I rush through the dark with rows of lamplit faces;
Fire bells peal, and some of us turn to listen,
And some sit motionless in their accustomed places.
Cold rain lashes the car-roof, scurries in gusts,
Streams down the windows in waves and ripples of lustre;
The lamps in the streets are distorted and strange.
Someone takes his watch from his pocket and yawns.
One peers out in the night for the place to change.
Rain . . . rain . . . rain . . . we are buried in rain,
It will rain forever, the swift wheels hiss through water,
Pale sheets of water gleam in the windy street.
The pealing of bells is lost in a drive of rain-drops.
Remote and hurried the great bells beat.
'I am the one whom life so shrewdly betrayed,
Misfortune dogs me, it always hunted me down.
And to-day the woman I love lies dead.
I gave her roses, a ring with opals;
These hands have touched her head.
'I bound her to me in all soft ways,
I bound her to me in a net of days,
Yet now she has gone in silence and said no word.
How can we face these dazzling things, I ask you?
There is no use: we cry: and are not heard.
'They cover a body with roses . . . I shall not see it . . .
Must one return to the lifeless walls of a city
Whose soul is charred by fire? . . . '
His eyes are closed, his lips press tightly together.
Wheels hiss beneath us. He yields us our desire.
'No, do not stare so—he is weak with grief,
He cannot face you, he turns his eyes aside;
He is confused with pain.
I suffered this. I know. It was long ago . . .
He closes his eyes and drowns in death again.'
The wind hurls blows at the rain-starred glistening windows,
The wind shrills down from the half-seen walls.
We flow on the mournful wind in a dream of dying;
And at last a silence falls.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers
When it comes to the poetry of Conrad Aiken, it’s hard to find a better example than “The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers”. This classic poem is a stunning portrayal of the urban landscape, and it captures the essence of the modern metropolis in all its glory and despair. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we’ll delve deep into the themes, motifs, and symbols that make this poem so memorable and powerful.
The city of towers
At the heart of “The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers” is the image of the city itself. Aiken’s description of the “city of towers” is both beautiful and terrifying. It is a place where “the night is alive with voices” and “the lights blaze up, and flare, and die”. The towers that rise up into the sky are symbols of human ambition and progress, but they also cast long shadows over the streets below.
The city of towers is a place of contrasts, and Aiken captures this perfectly. He describes “the endless traffic, the incessant wheels” and “the roar and rumble of distant trains”. Yet, he also writes of “the pale, thin moon” and “the stars that hang above the towering spires”. In this way, Aiken shows us both the beauty and the ugliness of the modern city, and he suggests that they are two sides of the same coin.
The House of Dust
The title of the poem, “The House Of Dust,” is also an important symbol. The house of dust represents the transience of human life, and it reminds us that everything we build or create will eventually fade away. Aiken writes of “the dust that blows before the wind” and “the dust that settles on closed lids”. This imagery is a reminder that nothing lasts forever, and that our greatest achievements are ultimately insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
The house of dust also represents the fragility of human existence. We are all like “dust in the wind,” blown about by forces beyond our control. Aiken writes of “the dust that chokes the little rooms” and “the dust that coats the windowsills”. These images suggest that the house of dust is not just a physical place, but a state of mind. It is a recognition that our lives are fleeting, and that we must make the most of the time we have.
The meaning of the poem
At its core, “The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers” is a poem about the human condition. It is a meditation on the beauty and the horror of modern life, and it speaks to our deepest fears and desires. Aiken suggests that we are all living in the house of dust, and that our lives are like the towers that rise up into the sky. We are both builders and destroyers, creators and destroyers, and the world we have built is both magnificent and terrifying.
The poem is also a commentary on the state of the world in the early 20th century. Aiken was writing at a time when the world was changing rapidly, and the old ways of life were being replaced by new technologies and social structures. The city of towers represents this new world, and Aiken suggests that it is both exhilarating and dangerous. He writes of “the madness and the frenzy of the night,” and “the clamor and the fever of the day”. In this way, Aiken is warning us of the dangers of progress, and reminding us that the world we have created is not always a safe or a happy place.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers” is a masterpiece of modernist poetry. It captures the essence of the modern city in all its beauty and ugliness, and it speaks to our deepest hopes and fears. Through the imagery of the city of towers and the house of dust, Aiken reminds us that our lives are fleeting, and that we must make the most of the time we have. At the same time, he warns us of the dangers of progress, and reminds us that the world we have created is not always a safe or a happy place. Ultimately, this poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the human experience, and to help us make sense of the world we live in.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers is a classic poem written by Conrad Aiken. This poem is a masterpiece of modernist poetry that explores the themes of urbanization, alienation, and the human condition. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, imagery, and literary devices.
The poem begins with a vivid description of a darkened city, the city of towers. The use of the word "darkened" suggests a sense of gloom and despair, while the reference to the city of towers highlights the theme of urbanization. The city is described as a place where the towers rise up like "ghosts" in the night, creating a sense of eerie otherworldliness. The use of the word "ghosts" also suggests a sense of haunting, as if the city is haunted by the memories of its past.
As the poem progresses, the speaker describes the city in more detail, highlighting its alienating nature. The people in the city are described as "strangers" who move through the streets like "shadows." This imagery creates a sense of anonymity and detachment, suggesting that the people in the city are disconnected from each other and from their surroundings. The use of the word "shadows" also suggests a sense of transience, as if the people in the city are fleeting and ephemeral.
The theme of alienation is further explored in the second stanza, where the speaker describes the city as a place where "men and women pass, like rain." This simile creates a sense of impermanence, suggesting that the people in the city are like drops of rain that fall and disappear. The use of the word "pass" also suggests a sense of movement, as if the people in the city are constantly on the move, never staying in one place for long.
The third stanza of the poem introduces a new theme, that of the human condition. The speaker describes the city as a place where "love is a ghost," suggesting that the people in the city are unable to connect with each other on a deep emotional level. The use of the word "ghost" again creates a sense of haunting, as if the memory of love lingers in the city but is unable to find expression. The speaker also describes the city as a place where "life is a game," suggesting that the people in the city are caught up in a cycle of meaningless activity, unable to find purpose or meaning in their lives.
The final stanza of the poem brings all of these themes together, creating a powerful image of the city as a place of despair and hopelessness. The speaker describes the city as a place where "death is a rose," suggesting that even death is beautiful and desirable in comparison to the bleakness of life in the city. The use of the word "rose" creates a sense of irony, as roses are traditionally associated with beauty and life, while death is associated with decay and destruction.
In terms of literary devices, the poem is rich in imagery and symbolism. The use of the word "ghost" is a recurring motif throughout the poem, creating a sense of haunting and otherworldliness. The simile "men and women pass, like rain" is a powerful image that creates a sense of impermanence and transience. The use of the word "game" to describe life in the city is a metaphor that highlights the sense of futility and meaninglessness that pervades the poem.
Overall, The House Of Dust: Part 01: 06: Over the darkened city, the city of towers is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the themes of urbanization, alienation, and the human condition. Through its vivid imagery and powerful symbolism, the poem creates a sense of despair and hopelessness that is both haunting and unforgettable. As a masterpiece of modernist poetry, this poem continues to inspire and captivate readers today, reminding us of the dark side of urban life and the human experience.
Editor Recommended Sites
Get Advice: Developers Ask and receive adviceLLM Model News: Large Language model news from across the internet. Learn the latest on llama, alpaca
Cloud Notebook - Jupyer Cloud Notebooks For LLMs & Cloud Note Books Tutorials: Learn cloud ntoebooks for Machine learning and Large language models
Run Kubernetes: Kubernetes multicloud deployment for stateful and stateless data, and LLMs
Deep Dive Video: Deep dive courses for LLMs, machine learning and software engineering
Recommended Similar Analysis
In Tempore Senectutis by Ezra Pound analysisI taste a liquor never brewed by Emily Dickinson analysis
To Be In Love by Gwendolyn Brooks analysis
The Winners by Rudyard Kipling analysis
Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud by John Donne analysis
Do not go gentle into that good night by Unknown Author analysis
Mr. Mistoffelees by T.S. Eliot analysis
The Three Hermits by William Butler Yeats analysis
The School Boy by William Blake analysis
Childless Father, The by William Wordsworth analysis