'Deserted Garden, The' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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I mind me in the days departed,
How often underneath the sun
With childish bounds I used to run
To a garden long deserted.

The beds and walks were vanished quite;
And wheresoe'er had struck the spade,
The greenest grasses Nature laid
To sanctify her right.

I called the place my wilderness,
For no one entered there but I;
The sheep looked in, the grass to espy,
And passed it ne'ertheless.

The trees were interwoven wild,
And spread their boughs enough about
To keep both sheep and shepherd out,
But not a happy child.

Adventurous joy it was for me!
I crept beneath the boughs, and found
A circle smooth of mossy ground
Beneath a poplar tree.

Old garden rose-trees hedged it in,
Bedropt with roses waxen-white
Well satisfied with dew and light
And careless to be seen.

Long years ago it might befall,
When all the garden flowers were trim,
The grave old gardener prided him
On these the most of all.

Some lady, stately overmuch,
Here moving with a silken noise,
Has blushed beside them at the voice
That likened her to such.

And these, to make a diadem,
She often may have plucked and twined,
Half-smiling as it came to mind
That few would look at them.

Oh, little thought that lady proud,
A child would watch her fair white rose,
When buried lay her whiter brows,
And silk was changed for shroud!

Nor thought that gardener, (full of scorns
For men unlearned and simple phrase,)
A child would bring it all its praise
By creeping through the thorns!

To me upon my low moss seat,
Though never a dream the roses sent
Of science or love's compliment,
I ween they smelt as sweet.

It did not move my grief to see
The trace of human step departed:
Because the garden was deserted,
The blither place for me!

Friends, blame me not! a narrow ken
Has childhood 'twixt the sun and sward;
We draw the moral afterward,
We feel the gladness then.

And gladdest hours for me did glide
In silence at the rose-tree wall:
A thrush made gladness musical
Upon the other side.

Nor he nor I did e'er incline
To peck or pluck the blossoms white;
How should I know but roses might
Lead lives as glad as mine?

To make my hermit-home complete,
I brought dear water from the spring
Praised in its own low murmuring,
And cresses glossy wet.

And so, I thought, my likeness grew
(Without the melancholy tale)
To "Gentle Hermit of the Dale,"
And Angelina too.

For oft I read within my nook
Such minstrel stories; till the breeze
Made sounds poetic in the trees,
And then I shut the book.

If I shut this wherein I write
I hear no more the wind athwart
Those trees, nor feel that childish heart
Delighting in delight.

My childhood from my life is parted,
My footstep from the moss which drew
Its fairy circle round: anew
The garden is deserted.

Another thrush may there rehearse
The madrigals which sweetest are;
No more for me! myself afar
Do sing a sadder verse.

Ah me, ah me! when erst I lay
In that child's-nest so greenly wrought,
I laughed unto myself and thought
"The time will pass away."

And still I laughed, and did not fear
But that, whene'er was past away
The childish time, some happier play
My womanhood would cheer.

I knew the time would pass away,
And yet, beside the rose-tree wall,
Dear God, how seldom, if at all,
Did I look up to pray!

The time is past; and now that grows
The cypress high among the trees,
And I behold white sepulchres
As well as the white rose, --

When graver, meeker thoughts are given,
And I have learnt to lift my face,
Reminded how earth's greenest place
The color draws from heaven, --

It something saith for earthly pain,
But more for Heavenly promise free,
That I who was, would shrink to be
That happy child again.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Deserted Garden: A Literary Analysis

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the celebrated Victorian poet, has left an indelible mark on the world of literature with her timeless poems. One such poem that deserves special attention is "Deserted Garden," a haunting meditation on loss, abandonment, and the transience of life. Written in 1853, the poem is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry that speaks to the human condition with its poignant imagery and profound reflection on the nature of existence.

Summary

"Deserted Garden" is a poem that explores the theme of loss and the fragility of life. The speaker of the poem is a woman who visits a deserted garden, once full of life and beauty but now overgrown with weeds and abandoned by its owner. As she walks through the garden, she reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. She laments the loss of the beauty that once existed in the garden and wonders if it will ever be restored.

The poem is divided into three parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the theme of loss. In the first part, the speaker describes the garden as it is now, overgrown and neglected. She notes how the flowers that once bloomed there have withered away, and how the birds that once sang there have flown away. She observes the way the garden has been abandoned by its owner and left to decay.

In the second part of the poem, the speaker reflects on the transience of life. She notes how everything in the world is subject to change and how nothing lasts forever. She compares the garden to human life, which is also fleeting and impermanent. She speaks of the inevitability of death and how everything in the world must eventually come to an end.

In the final part of the poem, the speaker wonders if the beauty of the garden will ever be restored. She asks if the plants will ever bloom again, if the birds will ever return, and if the garden will ever be tended to once more. She reflects on the possibility of renewal and restoration, even in the face of loss and decay.

Literary Analysis

"Deserted Garden" is a poem that is rich in imagery and symbolism. Throughout the poem, Browning uses the image of the garden to explore the theme of loss and the transience of life. The garden serves as a metaphor for the world and for human existence, which is also subject to decay and impermanence.

Browning uses a number of poetic devices to convey her ideas in the poem. One of the most striking of these is her use of repetition. The phrase "The garden lies," for example, is repeated several times throughout the poem, emphasizing the sense of loss and abandonment that pervades the garden. The repetition of the phrase "All lost, all lost" in the second part of the poem further emphasizes the theme of loss and the inevitability of death.

Another important poetic device that Browning employs in the poem is imagery. The garden is described in rich and vivid detail, with Browning using a variety of sensory details to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. The "long, long grass" that "wavers in the wind" and the "weeds that have no flowers" create a sense of desolation and neglect. Similarly, the image of the "fallen fruit" and the "dead leaves" underscores the theme of decay and impermanence.

The poem is also notable for its use of metaphor. The garden is compared to human life, which is also subject to decay and transience. The speaker of the poem reflects on the inevitability of death and the way that everything in the world must eventually come to an end. The garden serves as a reminder of this fact, a physical manifestation of the fleeting nature of existence.

Finally, the poem is marked by its use of structure and form. The poem is divided into three parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the theme of loss. The first part describes the garden as it is now, while the second reflects on the transience of life. The final part wonders if the beauty of the garden will ever be restored. This structure serves to reinforce the theme of loss and the passage of time, as well as creating a sense of narrative progression.

Interpretation

"Deserted Garden" is a poem that speaks to the human condition with its profound meditation on loss and the transience of life. The garden serves as a metaphor for the world, which is also subject to decay and impermanence. The poem reflects on the inevitability of death and the way that everything in the world must eventually come to an end.

One of the key messages of the poem is the idea that even in the face of loss and decay, there is still the possibility of renewal and restoration. The speaker wonders if the garden will ever be tended to once more, if the plants will ever bloom again, if the birds will ever return. This sense of hope and possibility serves as a counterpoint to the sense of loss and abandonment that pervades the garden.

The poem also reflects on the human experience of loss and grief. The speaker of the poem is clearly mourning the loss of the beauty that once existed in the garden, and her reflections on the transience of life suggest a broader sense of loss and grief. The poem serves as a reminder that loss is an inevitable part of the human experience, but that there is still the possibility of finding beauty and renewal even in the face of that loss.

Finally, the poem speaks to the power of memory and imagination. The garden exists now only in the speaker's memory, but even in that memory, it is still beautiful and full of life. The poem suggests that memory and imagination can serve as a source of hope and renewal, even in the face of loss and decay.

Conclusion

"Deserted Garden" is a haunting and deeply moving poem that explores the theme of loss and the transience of life. Through its use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphor, and repetition, the poem creates a sense of atmosphere and mood that is both beautiful and haunting. The poem reflects on the inevitability of death and the way that everything in the world must eventually come to an end. However, it also suggests that even in the face of loss and decay, there is still the possibility of renewal and restoration. "Deserted Garden" is a timeless masterpiece of Victorian poetry that continues to speak to readers today with its profound reflection on the human experience.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Deserted Garden by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a beautiful piece of literature that captures the essence of nature and the human experience. The poem is a reflection of the author's own life and experiences, and it is a testament to her talent as a writer.

The poem is set in a deserted garden, which is a metaphor for the author's own life. The garden is described as being overgrown and neglected, with weeds and thorns growing everywhere. This is a reflection of the author's own feelings of loneliness and isolation. She feels abandoned and forgotten, just like the garden.

The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The author describes the garden as being "full of weeds and tangled thorns." This is a metaphor for the author's own life, which is full of pain and suffering. She feels trapped and unable to escape from her own thoughts and feelings.

The second stanza of the poem is where the author begins to reflect on her own life. She describes how the garden used to be beautiful and full of life, but now it is empty and deserted. This is a reflection of the author's own life, which used to be full of joy and happiness, but now it is empty and lonely.

The third stanza of the poem is where the author begins to reflect on the past. She describes how the garden used to be full of flowers and birds, but now it is silent and still. This is a metaphor for the author's own life, which used to be full of love and laughter, but now it is silent and still.

The fourth stanza of the poem is where the author begins to reflect on the future. She describes how the garden will never be the same again, and how it will always be a reminder of what once was. This is a reflection of the author's own life, which will never be the same again, and will always be a reminder of what once was.

The fifth and final stanza of the poem is where the author begins to find hope. She describes how the garden may be deserted, but it is still beautiful in its own way. This is a reflection of the author's own life, which may be full of pain and suffering, but it is still beautiful in its own way.

In conclusion, The Deserted Garden by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a beautiful piece of literature that captures the essence of nature and the human experience. The poem is a reflection of the author's own life and experiences, and it is a testament to her talent as a writer. The poem is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still hope and beauty to be found.

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