'Cardiac' by Robert Service

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A mattock high he swung;
I watched him at his toil;
With never gulp of lung
He gashed the ruddy soil.
Thought I, I'd give my wealth
To have his health.

With fortune I would part,
And privilege resign,
Could I but have his heart,
And he have mine . . .
Then suddenly I knew
My wish was true.

Like him I swung: with awe
He marked my steady breath.
Then suddenly I saw
That he was sick to death.
My heart in him was frail
And seemed to fail.

Said I: 'Take back your heart
And I will bear with mine.
Poor lad! All wealth apart
'Tis murder I design,
Not all a Nabob's wealth
Is worth your health.'

Editor 1 Interpretation

Cardiac by Robert Service: A Literary Masterpiece

Are you looking for a poem that speaks to the core of the human condition? Then look no further than Robert Service's "Cardiac." This classic piece of literature is a masterful exploration of life, death, and the human heart.

The Poem

At its core, "Cardiac" is a meditation on the fleeting nature of life. The poem begins with a description of a man who is close to death:

"I am the heart of a murdered woman
Who took the wrong way home
With a blanket of stones about my neck
And the knife in my windpipe."

From the very start, the poem establishes a sense of darkness and foreboding. The image of a murdered woman with a blanket of stones around her neck is a powerful one, evoking a sense of suffocation and despair. And yet, it is the next lines that truly bring home the poem's central themes:

"I am the wife of a murdered man
Whose throat was cut while he slept
With a revolver in his hand and a smile on his lips
And a figure of Christ on the wall."

Here, the speaker introduces the idea that death is an ever-present companion in life. The murdered man seems to have been at peace with his own mortality, smiling as he passed from this world. And yet, his wife is left to mourn his passing and wonder at the cruel fate that took him from her.

The poem goes on to explore more fully the themes of death and the human heart. The speaker describes how they were "taken from [their] tomb to a hospital room" and how their heart was transplanted into another person's body. This, in turn, leads the speaker to reflect on the nature of life and the human heart:

"Oh what was the heart of the woman
And what did the man's heart contain
That could not rest till it lay beside
The heart of a murdered Jane?"

This passage is a beautiful example of Service's poetic skill. The repetition of the word "heart" highlights the importance of this organ to the poem's central themes. And the question at the end of the passage is a powerful one, inviting the reader to reflect on what it is that drives us as human beings.

Finally, the poem ends with a haunting image of the speaker's heart taking over the body of the person who received their transplant:

"And the heart of a murdered woman
Beats on in the body of man
But what of the heart of the man who killed
And the heart of his fellow-man?"

This final stanza brings the poem full circle, returning to the idea of death and the human heart. The image of the murderer's heart is a chilling one, inviting the reader to consider the darkest aspects of humanity.

Themes

There are several themes that run throughout "Cardiac," but perhaps the most prominent are those of death and the human heart. The poem is a meditation on what it means to be alive and what it means to die. It invites the reader to consider the fleeting nature of life and the fact that death is an ever-present companion.

Service explores these themes through a series of powerful images and metaphors. The murdered woman with a blanket of stones around her neck, the murdered man with a figure of Christ on the wall, and the heart transplant are all examples of these images. Each one invites the reader to consider the nature of life and death in a different way.

Another theme that runs throughout the poem is that of the human heart. The heart is central to the poem's exploration of life and death, and Service uses it as a metaphor for the human soul. The idea that a person's heart can be transplanted into another body invites the reader to consider what it is that makes us who we are. Is it our physical body, or is it something more intangible, like our soul or our heart?

Style and Technique

Service's style and technique are both key to the poem's success. The poem is written in a simple and direct style, with short lines and a regular meter. This gives the poem a sense of urgency and immediacy, inviting the reader to engage with the poem's themes on a visceral level.

Service also uses a number of poetic techniques to enhance the poem's impact. The repetition of the word "heart" is one example, as is the use of parallelism in the opening lines. Service also uses imagery and metaphor to great effect, creating powerful and memorable images that stick with the reader long after the poem has ended.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Cardiac" is a literary masterpiece that explores some of the most fundamental themes of the human experience. Service's skill as a poet is evident throughout the poem, from the powerful imagery to the simple yet effective writing style. The poem invites the reader to consider life, death, and the human heart in a way that is both profound and moving. If you have not yet had the pleasure of reading "Cardiac," I highly recommend that you do so.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Cardiac: A Poem of Love and Loss

Robert Service, the renowned poet, has left an indelible mark on the world of literature with his powerful and evocative works. One of his most celebrated poems is "Cardiac," a poignant and moving piece that explores the themes of love, loss, and mortality. In this analysis, we will delve deep into the poem's meaning, structure, and language, and uncover the emotions that it evokes in the reader.

The poem "Cardiac" is a sonnet, a form of poetry that originated in Italy and is characterized by its 14 lines and strict rhyme scheme. Service's sonnet is divided into two quatrains and a sestet, with the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem's structure is significant because it reflects the speaker's emotional journey, from the initial joy of love to the crushing pain of loss.

The poem's title, "Cardiac," immediately suggests a connection to the heart, and indeed, the heart is a central motif throughout the poem. The speaker describes his lover's heart as "a rose of fire," a metaphor that conveys both the intensity of her passion and the fragility of her life. The image of the rose is also significant because it is a symbol of love, and the speaker's love for his partner is the driving force behind the poem.

The first quatrain of the poem is filled with joy and optimism. The speaker describes his lover's heart as "a rose of fire" and "a golden cup of wine," both images that suggest vitality and passion. The speaker is clearly in love and reveling in the intensity of his emotions. The rhyme scheme in this section is also significant, as the repeated ABAB pattern creates a sense of stability and balance.

However, the tone of the poem shifts dramatically in the second quatrain, as the speaker confronts the reality of mortality. He describes his lover's heart as "a fragile thing of lace," a metaphor that conveys the delicate nature of life and the inevitability of death. The speaker is no longer reveling in the joy of love but is instead grappling with the fear of loss. The rhyme scheme in this section also changes, with the repeated CDCD pattern creating a sense of unease and instability.

The sestet of the poem is where the speaker's emotions reach their climax. He describes his lover's heart as "a bird that beats its wings in vain," a metaphor that conveys the futility of life and the inevitability of death. The speaker is no longer in denial but is instead confronting the reality of his lover's mortality. The final couplet of the poem is particularly powerful, as the speaker declares that his love for his partner will endure even after her death. The rhyme scheme in this section returns to the stable and balanced EFEF GG pattern, suggesting that the speaker has found a sense of acceptance and peace.

The language in "Cardiac" is simple and direct, but it is also incredibly evocative. Service uses metaphors and imagery to convey complex emotions and ideas. The repeated use of the heart as a motif is particularly effective, as it is a universal symbol of love and life. The use of the rose as a symbol of love is also significant, as it is a timeless image that has been used in literature for centuries.

The poem's themes of love, loss, and mortality are universal and timeless. Everyone experiences love and loss in their lives, and everyone must confront their own mortality. "Cardiac" speaks to these universal experiences and emotions, and it does so in a way that is both powerful and moving.

In conclusion, "Cardiac" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and mortality. Service's use of the sonnet form, the heart as a motif, and powerful imagery creates a sense of emotional intensity that is both timeless and universal. The poem speaks to the human experience in a way that is both profound and moving, and it is a testament to Service's skill as a poet.

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