'Air Of Diabelli's' by Robert Louis Stevenson
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CALL it to mind, O my love.
Dear were your eyes as the day,
Bright as the day and the sky;
Like the stream of gold and the sky above,
Dear were your eyes in the grey.
We have lived, my love, O, we have lived, my love!
Now along the silent river, azure
Through the sky's inverted image,
Softly swam the boat that bore our love,
Swiftly ran the shallow of our love
Through the heaven's inverted image,
In the reedy mazes round the river.
See along the silent river,
See of old the lover's shallop steer.
Berried brake and reedy island,
Heaven below and only heaven above.
Through the sky's inverted image
Swiftly swam the boat that bore our love.
Berried brake and reedy island,
Mirrored flower and shallop gliding by.
All the earth and all the sky were ours,
Silent sat the wafted lovers,
Bound with grain and watched by all the sky,
Hand to hand and eye to . . . eye.
Days of April, airs of Eden,
Call to mind how bright the vanished angel hours,
Golden hours of evening,
When our boat drew homeward filled with flowers.
O darling, call them to mind; love the past, my love.
Days of April, airs of Eden.
How the glory died through golden hours,
And the shining moon arising;
How the boat drew homeward filled with flowers.
Age and winter close us slowly in.
Level river, cloudless heaven,
Islanded reed mazes, silver weirs;
How the silent boat with silver
Threads the inverted forest as she goes,
Broke the trembling green of mirrored trees.
O, remember, and remember
How the berries hung in garlands.
Still in the river see the shallop floats.
Hark!Chimes the falling oar.
Still in the mind
Hark to the song of the past!
Dream, and they pass in their dreams.
Those that loved of yore, O those that loved of yore!
Hark through the stillness, O darling, hark!
Through it all the ear of the mind
Knows the boat of love.Hark!
Chimes the falling oar.
O half in vain they grew old.
Now the halcyon days are over,
Age and winter close us slowly round,
And these sounds at fall of even
Dim the sight and muffle all the sound.
And at the married fireside, sleep of soul and sleep of fancy,
Joan and Darby.
Silence of the world without a sound;
And beside the winter faggot
Joan and Darby sit and dose and dream and wake -
Dream they hear the flowing, singing river,
See the berries in the island brake;
Dream they hear the weir,
See the gliding shallop mar the stream.
Hark! in your dreams do you hear?
Snow has filled the drifted forest;
Ice has bound the . . . stream.
Frost has bound our flowing river;
Snow has whitened all our island brake.
Berried brake and reedy island,
Heaven below and only heaven above azure
Through the sky's inverted image
Safely swam the boat that bore our love.
Dear were your eyes as the day,
Bright ran the stream, bright hung the sky above.
Days of April, airs of Eden.
How the glory died through golden hours,
And the shining moon arising,
How the boat drew homeward filled with flowers.
Bright were your eyes in the night:
We have lived, my love;
O, we have loved, my love.
Now the . . . days are over,
Age and winter close us slowly round.
Vainly time departs, and vainly
Age and winter come and close us round.
Hark the river's long continuous sound.
Hear the river ripples in the reeds.
Lo, in dreams they see their shallop
Run the lilies down and drown the weeds
Mid the sound of crackling faggots.
So in dreams the new created
Happy past returns, to-day recedes,
And they hear once more,
From the old years,
Yesterday returns, to-day recedes,
And they hear with aged hearing warbles
Love's own river ripple in the weeds.
And again the lover's shallop;
Lo, the shallop sheds the streaming weeds;
And afar in foreign countries
In the ears of aged lovers.
And again in winter evens
Starred with lilies . . . with stirring weeds.
In these ears of aged lovers
Love's own river ripples in the reeds.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Air Of Diabelli's: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
by Robert Louis Stevenson
As I read through Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "Air Of Diabelli's," I can't help but feel an excitement building within me. It's a feeling that comes from knowing that I'm about to dive into the mind of a truly great writer, someone who has left an indelible mark on the world of literature.
The poem itself is a beautiful piece of work, one that is rich with imagery and emotion. It's a testament to Stevenson's skill as a writer that he can convey so much in just a few short stanzas.
But what is the poem really about? What is its deeper meaning? That's what I aim to explore in this literary criticism and interpretation.
The Setting
The poem takes place in a music room, where the speaker is listening to a piece of music. It's interesting to note that Stevenson doesn't provide much detail about the music itself. Instead, he focuses on the atmosphere of the room and the emotions it evokes in the speaker.
The first stanza sets the scene:
Across the room we heard the wizard lay His Diabelli variations, and the thrill Of the first notes, ere yet the powers at will Had breathed their fiery life into the lay,
There's a sense of anticipation here, as if the speaker is waiting for something momentous to happen. The "wizard" in question is, of course, the composer Anton Diabelli, and his variations are about to be played.
Notice how Stevenson describes the music as having "fiery life." It's a powerful image, one that suggests that this music is not just a bunch of notes strung together, but something that is alive and vibrant.
The Speaker's Emotions
As the music begins to play, the speaker is overcome with emotion. In the second stanza, Stevenson describes this emotional response:
And in that hour, and in that antiquity Of simple emotions, vulgar as a star, We saw the splendour of the soul afar, And marvelled at its own magnificence.
There's a sense of awe and wonder here, as if the speaker is witnessing something truly magnificent. The music seems to transport him to another time and place, where the emotions are "simple" but also incredibly powerful.
The use of the word "antiquity" is interesting, as it suggests that the speaker is connecting with something that is timeless and eternal. This is music that has the power to transcend time and space, and to touch the very core of the human soul.
The Music and the Soul
At its heart, "Air Of Diabelli's" is a poem about the connection between music and the soul. The music that the speaker is listening to has the power to reach deep inside him and awaken something primal and essential.
Stevenson describes this connection in the third stanza:
For not as yet the soul itself was born, A dumb thing, craving birth in melody, But spirit of spirit, ghost of ghost forlorn, Mother of mothers, and of all things free.
Here, Stevenson is suggesting that music has the power to give birth to the soul. It's almost as if the music is a catalyst, a spark that ignites something deep within us.
Notice how he describes the soul as a "dumb thing" that is craving birth in melody. This is a powerful image, one that suggests that our souls are incomplete until they are awakened by music.
And yet, the soul is also described as the "mother of mothers" and "of all things free." This is an image of ultimate power and freedom, one that suggests that the soul is the source of all life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Air Of Diabelli's" is a powerful and inspiring piece of poetry. It speaks to the power of music to awaken the soul and to connect us with something greater than ourselves.
Stevenson's use of imagery and language is masterful, and his ability to convey deep emotions in just a few short stanzas is truly remarkable.
As I finish reading this poem, I'm left with a sense of wonder and awe. It's a feeling that is hard to put into words, but it's a feeling that I'm sure many of us have experienced while listening to music.
In the end, "Air Of Diabelli's" is a reminder that there is something magical and transcendent about music, something that has the power to touch our souls and to connect us with the universe itself.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Air Of Diabelli's: A Masterpiece by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish novelist, poet, and essayist, is known for his literary works that explore the human psyche and the complexities of life. One of his most celebrated works is the poem "Poetry Air Of Diabelli's," which was published in his collection of poems, "Underwoods," in 1887. This poem is a masterpiece that captures the essence of poetry and its power to evoke emotions and inspire the human spirit.
The poem is structured in three stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, and the meter is iambic tetrameter, which gives the poem a musical quality. The title of the poem, "Poetry Air Of Diabelli's," refers to a musical composition by Anton Diabelli, a famous Austrian composer of the 19th century. The use of the word "air" in the title suggests that the poem is meant to be sung or recited in a musical manner.
The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the poem. It begins with the line, "The man that stands above the bird," which immediately captures the reader's attention. The image of a man standing above a bird creates a sense of power and dominance. However, the next line, "A man some hundred pounds absurd," subverts this image by introducing the idea of absurdity. The juxtaposition of power and absurdity creates a sense of irony that is characteristic of Stevenson's writing.
The third and fourth lines of the first stanza introduce the theme of poetry. The line, "That down upon the garden's ways," suggests that the man is looking down on the world from a higher perspective. The use of the word "garden" creates an image of beauty and tranquility, which is contrasted with the man's absurdity. The final line of the stanza, "In gold and purple meditates," introduces the idea of poetry as a form of meditation. The use of the words "gold and purple" creates a sense of richness and beauty that is associated with poetry.
The second stanza of the poem continues the theme of poetry as a form of meditation. It begins with the line, "Himself within the cedar shade," which creates an image of the man seeking solitude and contemplation. The use of the word "cedar" suggests a sense of stability and strength, which is contrasted with the man's absurdity. The next line, "The winds, its waving branches made," introduces the idea of nature as a source of inspiration for poetry. The use of personification in the line, "its waving branches made," creates a sense of movement and life that is associated with nature.
The third and fourth lines of the second stanza introduce the idea of poetry as a form of escape. The line, "The subtle perfume of the trees," suggests that the man is surrounded by the beauty of nature, which allows him to escape from the mundane world. The final line of the stanza, "He in his book of verses reads," reinforces the idea of poetry as a form of meditation and escape. The use of the word "book" suggests that poetry is a source of knowledge and wisdom.
The third stanza of the poem concludes the theme of poetry as a form of meditation and escape. It begins with the line, "Thus, in the cedar's shade reclined," which creates a sense of relaxation and tranquility. The next line, "With elbow on the grassy ground," reinforces the image of the man seeking solitude and contemplation. The third line, "Lost in a book of words and sound," introduces the idea of poetry as a form of art that combines words and music. The final line of the stanza, "Dreams till the sun is underlined," suggests that the man is lost in his thoughts and dreams, which are inspired by the beauty of poetry.
In conclusion, "Poetry Air Of Diabelli's" is a masterpiece that captures the essence of poetry and its power to evoke emotions and inspire the human spirit. The poem is structured in three stanzas, each consisting of four lines, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB and a meter of iambic tetrameter. The poem explores the themes of power and absurdity, poetry as a form of meditation, nature as a source of inspiration, and poetry as a form of escape. The use of imagery, personification, and metaphor creates a sense of beauty and richness that is associated with poetry. Overall, "Poetry Air Of Diabelli's" is a timeless work of art that continues to inspire and captivate readers to this day.
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