'The Piano (Notebook Version)' by D.H. Lawrence
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Somewhere beneath that piano's superb sleek black
Must hide my mother's piano, little and brown with the back
That stood close to the wall, and the front's faded silk, both torn
And the keys with little hollows, that my mother's fingers had worn.
Softly, in the shadows, a woman is singing to me
Quietly, through the years I have crept back to see
A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the shaking strings
Pressing the little poised feet of the mother who smiles as she sings
The full throated woman has chosen a winning, living song
And surely the heart that is in me must belong
To the old Sunday evenings, when darkness wandered outside
And hymns gleamed on our warm lips, as we watched mother's fingers glide
Or this is my sister at home in the old front room
Singing love's first surprised gladness, alone in the gloom.
She will start when she sees me, and blushing, spread out her hands
To cover my mouth's raillery, till I'm bound in her shame's heart-spun bands
A woman is singing me a wild Hungarian air
And her arms, and her bosom and the whole of her soul is bare
And the great black piano is clamouring as my mother's never could clamour
And the tunes of the past are devoured of this music's ravaging glamour.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Piano (Notebook Version) by D.H. Lawrence: A Masterpiece of Poetic Brilliance
When it comes to classic poetry, few pieces are as captivating as The Piano (Notebook Version) by D.H. Lawrence. This timeless masterpiece explores the complex themes of nostalgia, longing, and the power of music to transport us to another time and place.
At its core, The Piano is a deeply personal and introspective work that speaks to the universal human experience of yearning for something that we cannot have. Through its vivid imagery and hauntingly beautiful language, Lawrence takes us on a journey through the memories of his own past, while also offering us a glimpse into the larger cultural and historical context in which he lived.
A Closer Look at the Poem
The opening lines of The Piano immediately draw the reader in with their evocative imagery and powerful emotional resonance:
Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see
A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings
These lines paint a vivid picture of a woman singing in the soft light of dusk, transporting the speaker back in time to his childhood. We can almost feel the tingling strings of the piano and hear the sound of the woman's voice as she sings.
As the poem progresses, Lawrence delves deeper into the memories evoked by the music:
Of weary, worn-out, provincial life.
Ah, not in the music! Oat-cake, cheese, and wine!
Here, we get a sense of the speaker's dissatisfaction with his current life and the longing he feels for something more. The imagery of oat-cake, cheese, and wine suggests a kind of rustic simplicity that the speaker longs for, but can never truly return to.
The final stanza of The Piano is perhaps the most powerful, as Lawrence sums up the central themes of the poem in a few short lines:
So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamor
With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour
Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast
Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.
Here, we see the speaker coming to terms with the fact that he can never truly go back to the innocence and simplicity of his childhood. The music that once transported him back in time now serves only as a painful reminder of what he has lost.
Interpretation and Analysis
At its core, The Piano is a poem about the power of music to evoke memories and emotions that we may have thought were long forgotten. Lawrence uses vivid imagery and evocative language to create a sense of nostalgia and longing that is both universal and deeply personal.
One of the key themes of the poem is the idea of home and the longing for a place where we feel truly at peace. The speaker's memories of his childhood are filled with images of a simpler time, where he felt safe and loved. However, as he grows older, he realizes that he can never truly go back to that time and place.
Another important theme in The Piano is the idea of art as a form of escape. The speaker turns to music as a way of escaping the boredom and monotony of his everyday life, but ultimately realizes that it can never truly transport him back in time.
Throughout the poem, Lawrence uses powerful metaphors and vivid imagery to create a sense of nostalgia and longing that is both poignant and relatable. The image of the child sitting under the piano, for example, is a powerful symbol of innocence and the search for something greater than oneself.
Conclusion
Overall, The Piano (Notebook Version) is a masterpiece of poetic brilliance that explores complex themes of nostalgia, longing, and the power of music to transport us to another time and place. Through its vivid imagery and hauntingly beautiful language, Lawrence creates a sense of emotional resonance that is both universal and deeply personal.
Whether you are a fan of poetry or simply appreciate great literature, The Piano is a work that is not to be missed. Its timeless themes and evocative language make it a true masterpiece of the literary world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Piano (Notebook Version) by D.H. Lawrence is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a beautiful and poignant piece that explores the themes of nostalgia, memory, and the power of music. In this 2000-word analysis, we will delve into the poem's meaning, structure, and language, and explore why it has become such a beloved piece of literature.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a woman playing the piano. The music transports the speaker back in time to his childhood, where he remembers sitting beneath the piano and feeling the vibrations of the music. The speaker is filled with a sense of longing and nostalgia as he remembers the past, and he is overwhelmed by the power of the music.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker describes the woman playing the piano with great detail. He notes the way her hands move across the keys, the sound of the music filling the room, and the way the woman's body sways to the rhythm of the music. The language used in this stanza is rich and descriptive, creating a vivid picture in the reader's mind.
In the second stanza, the speaker reflects on his childhood memories of the piano. He remembers the way the music would fill the room and how he would feel the vibrations of the piano beneath him. The speaker's use of sensory language in this stanza is particularly effective, as he describes the way the music would "shake the floorboards" and how he could "feel the rush of the music in my groin."
The third stanza is where the poem takes a darker turn. The speaker reflects on the fact that he is now a grown man, and the piano no longer has the same power over him that it once did. He notes that he is "weary" and that the music no longer has the ability to transport him back in time. The language used in this stanza is more somber, reflecting the speaker's sense of loss and disillusionment.
The fourth and final stanza is perhaps the most powerful of the poem. The speaker reflects on the fact that the piano is now a symbol of his past, and that he can never go back to the time when the music had such a profound effect on him. He notes that the piano is now "a monstrous, steeple-throated mechanism" that no longer holds any magic for him. The language used in this stanza is particularly effective, as the speaker uses vivid imagery to convey his sense of loss and disillusionment.
One of the most striking things about The Piano (Notebook Version) is its structure. The poem is divided into four stanzas, each of which has a distinct tone and theme. The first stanza sets the scene, the second explores the speaker's childhood memories, the third reflects on the present, and the fourth brings the poem to a powerful conclusion. The structure of the poem is simple yet effective, allowing the reader to follow the speaker's journey through time and space.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of language. D.H. Lawrence's writing is rich and descriptive, creating a vivid picture in the reader's mind. The sensory language used in the poem is particularly effective, as it allows the reader to experience the music and the memories along with the speaker. The use of metaphor and imagery is also notable, as it adds depth and complexity to the poem.
The theme of nostalgia is central to The Piano (Notebook Version). The speaker is filled with a sense of longing for the past, and the piano serves as a symbol of his childhood memories. The poem explores the idea that we can never truly go back to the past, and that the things that once held magic for us may lose their power over time. The theme of memory is also important, as the speaker's childhood memories are a central part of the poem.
The power of music is another important theme in the poem. The speaker is overwhelmed by the music of the piano, and it has a profound effect on him. The poem explores the idea that music has the power to transport us to another time and place, and that it can evoke powerful emotions and memories.
In conclusion, The Piano (Notebook Version) by D.H. Lawrence is a beautiful and poignant poem that explores the themes of nostalgia, memory, and the power of music. The structure and language of the poem are simple yet effective, allowing the reader to follow the speaker's journey through time and space. The poem's themes are universal, and it has become a beloved piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today.
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