'The Song Of The Camp-Fire' by Robert Service
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Rhymes of a Rolling StoneHeed me, feed me, I am hungry, I am red-tongued with desire;
Boughs of balsam, slabs of cedar, gummy fagots of the pine,
Heap them on me, let me hug them to my eager heart of fire,
Roaring, soaring up to heaven as a symbol and a sign.
Bring me knots of sunny maple, silver birch and tamarack;
Leaping, sweeping, I will lap them with my ardent wings of flame;
I will kindle them to glory, I will beat the darkness back;
Streaming, gleaming, I will goad them to my glory and my fame.
Bring me gnarly limbs of live-oak, aid me in my frenzied fight;
Strips of iron-wood, scaly blue-gum, writhing redly in my hold;
With my lunge of lurid lances, with my whips that flail the night,
They will burgeon into beauty, they will foliate in gold.
Let me star the dim sierras, stab with light the inland seas;
Roaming wind and roaring darkness! seek no mercy at my hands;
I will mock the marly heavens, lamp the purple prairies,
I will flaunt my deathless banners down the far, unhouseled lands.
In the vast and vaulted pine-gloom where the pillared forests frown,
By the sullen, bestial rivers running where God only knows,
On the starlit coral beaches when the combers thunder down,
In the death-spell of the barrens, in the shudder of the snows;
In a blazing belt of triumph from the palm-leaf to the pine,
As a symbol of defiance lo! the wilderness I span;
And my beacons burn exultant as an everlasting sign
Of unending domination, of the mastery of Man;
I, the Life, the fierce Uplifter, I that weaned him from the mire;
I, the angel and the devil, I, the tyrant and the slave;
I, the Spirit of the Struggle; I, the mighty God of Fire;
I, the Maker and Destroyer; I, the Giver and the Grave.IIGather round me, boy and grey-beard, frontiersman of every kind.
Few are you, and far and lonely, yet an army forms behind:
By your camp-fires shall they know you, ashes scattered to the wind.Peer into my heart of solace, break your bannock at my blaze;
Smoking, stretched in lazy shelter, build your castles as you gaze;
Or, it may be, deep in dreaming, think of dim, unhappy days.Let my warmth and glow caress you, for your trails are grim and hard;
Let my arms of comfort press you, hunger-hewn and battle-scarred:
O my lovers! how I bless you with your lives so madly marred!For you seek the silent spaces, and their secret lore you glean:
For you win the savage races, and the brutish Wild you wean;
And I gladden desert places, where camp-fire has never been.From the Pole unto the Tropics is there trail ye have not dared?
And because you hold death lightly, so by death shall you be spared,
(As the sages of the ages in their pages have declared).On the roaring Arkilinik in a leaky bark canoe;
Up the cloud of Mount McKinley, where the avalanche leaps through;
In the furnace of Death Valley, when the mirage glimmers blue.Now a smudge of wiry willows on the weary Kuskoquim;
Now a flare of gummy pine-knots where Vancouver's scaur is grim;
Now a gleam of sunny ceiba, when the Cuban beaches dim.Always, always God's Great Open: lo! I burn with keener light
In the corridors of silence, in the vestibules of night;
'Mid the ferns and grasses gleaming, was there ever gem so bright?Not for weaklings, not for women, like my brother of the hearth;
Ring your songs of wrath around me, I was made for manful mirth,
In the lusty, gusty greatness, on the bald spots of the earth.Men, my masters! men, my lovers! ye have fought and ye have bled;
Gather round my ruddy embers, softly glowing is my bed;
By my heart of solace dreaming, rest ye and be comforted!IIII am dying, O my masters! by my fitful flame ye sleep;My purple plumes of glory droop forlorn.
Grey ashes choke and cloak me, and above the pines there creepThe stealthy silver moccasins of morn.
There comes a countless army, it's the Legion of the Light;It tramps in gleaming triumph round the world;
And before its jewelled lances all the shadows of the nightBack in to abysmal darknesses are hurled.Leap to life again, my lovers! ye must toil and never tire;The day of daring, doing, brightens clear,
When the bed of spicy cedar and the jovial camp-fireMust only be a memory of cheer.
There is hope and golden promise in the vast portentous dawn;There is glamour in the glad, effluent sky:
Go and leave me; I will dream of you and love you when you're gone;I have served you, O my masters! let me die.A little heap of ashes, grey and sodden by the rain,Wind-scattered, blurred and blotted by the snow:
Let that be all to tell of me, and glorious again,Ye things of greening gladness, leap and glow!
A black scar in the sunshine by the palm-leaf or the pine,Blind to the night and dead to all desire;
Yet oh, of life and uplift what a symbol and a sign!
Yet oh, of power and conquest what a destiny is mine!
A little heap of ashes -- Yea! a miracle divine,The foot-print of a god, all-radiant Fire.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Song of the Camp-Fire: A Literary Analysis
Introduction
Poetry is a powerful tool that can capture the essence of human emotions and experiences in a few well-crafted lines. Robert Service's "The Song of the Camp-Fire" is a prime example of this. The poem tells the story of a group of men sitting around a campfire, sharing stories and singing songs. However, the poem goes beyond a simple description of a scene and delves into deeper themes of camaraderie, the power of storytelling, and the role of nature in our lives.
Structure and Style
"The Song of the Camp-Fire" is a narrative poem, meaning that it tells a story. The poem is divided into eight stanzas, each with four lines. The rhyme scheme is AABB, meaning that the first and second lines rhyme, as do the third and fourth. This structure gives the poem a sing-song quality that is reminiscent of the songs that the men are singing around the campfire.
Service's writing style is simple and straightforward, which adds to the poem's accessibility. The poem is written in colloquial language, with words like "feller," "jest," and "yarn" making frequent appearances. This language creates a sense of intimacy between the reader and the characters in the poem, as if we are sitting around the campfire with them.
Themes
One of the central themes in "The Song of the Camp-Fire" is camaraderie. The men in the poem are all strangers, but they come together around the campfire to share stories and songs. The line "Strangers we were, and yet we felt/ The lure of comradeship" (lines 5-6) captures this theme perfectly. Despite their differences, the men find common ground in their shared experiences of being outdoors and living off the land.
Another theme in the poem is the power of storytelling. The men in the poem spend more time telling stories than singing songs, and the stories they tell are often fantastical or exaggerated. The line "Yarns we could spin that were stranger than truth,/ And often our truth was a lie" (lines 15-16) speaks to this theme. The men use their stories to entertain each other and to escape from the hardships of their daily lives.
Finally, the poem touches on the role of nature in our lives. The men in the poem are all outdoorsmen, and they have a deep appreciation for the natural world. The line "All of us loved the wild and the free,/ And nature was all we desired" (lines 21-22) speaks to this theme. The men find solace and comfort in the wilderness, and they are able to connect with each other through their shared love of nature.
Interpretation
"The Song of the Camp-Fire" can be interpreted in a number of different ways, depending on the reader's perspective. One possible interpretation is that the poem is a celebration of male bonding. The men in the poem are all men, and they find companionship and camaraderie in each other's company. The poem can be seen as a tribute to the power of male friendship.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the importance of storytelling. The men in the poem use their stories to entertain each other and to escape from the harsh realities of their lives. The poem can be seen as a reminder of the power of storytelling to connect us with each other and to help us make sense of the world around us.
Finally, the poem can be seen as a celebration of the natural world. The men in the poem are all outdoorsmen, and they find solace and comfort in the wilderness. The poem can be interpreted as a call to appreciate the beauty and power of nature, and to seek out connection with the natural world.
Conclusion
"The Song of the Camp-Fire" is a powerful poem that captures the essence of human connection, storytelling, and our relationship with nature. Through its simple language and sing-song structure, the poem invites us to sit around the campfire with the men and to share in their stories and songs. Whether we interpret the poem as a celebration of male bonding, a commentary on the power of storytelling, or a call to appreciate the natural world, "The Song of the Camp-Fire" reminds us of the importance of connection, community, and the stories that bind us together.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Song of the Camp-Fire: A Classic Poem by Robert Service
If you're a fan of poetry, you've probably heard of Robert Service. He's a Canadian poet who's known for his works that celebrate the ruggedness of the North and the people who live there. One of his most famous poems is "The Song of the Camp-Fire," which captures the essence of what it's like to be out in the wilderness, surrounded by nature and the warmth of a fire. In this article, we'll take a closer look at this classic poem and explore what makes it so special.
The poem begins with the speaker describing the setting: "Oh, the camp-fire's burning bright, / And the snow is sparkling white." Right away, we get a sense of the contrast between the warmth of the fire and the coldness of the snow. This contrast is a recurring theme throughout the poem, as the speaker describes the beauty of the winter landscape while also acknowledging the challenges that come with it.
As the poem continues, the speaker describes the people gathered around the fire: "And the stars are overhead, / And the tent is snug and tight, / And the boys are gay and light." Here, we see that the campers are not alone - they have each other for company and support. The use of the word "gay" is interesting, as it has a different connotation today than it did when the poem was written in 1907. At that time, "gay" simply meant happy or carefree, and it's clear that the boys in the poem are enjoying themselves.
The next stanza is where the poem really starts to shine. The speaker describes the stories that are being told around the fire: "And the tales are told of old, / When the nights were dark and cold, / And the Indians danced with glee." Here, we see the power of storytelling - even in the midst of a harsh winter, the campers are able to transport themselves to a different time and place through the stories they tell. The mention of the Indians dancing with glee is a nod to the cultural heritage of the North, and it adds a layer of depth to the poem.
The next few stanzas continue in this vein, with the speaker describing the different sights and sounds of the wilderness. We hear about the "wolves that howl afar," the "moose that roam the wood," and the "loon that laughs with glee." These descriptions are vivid and evocative, and they help to create a sense of immersion in the natural world. The use of onomatopoeia - the "howl" of the wolves, the "laugh" of the loon - adds to the sensory experience.
As the poem nears its end, the speaker reflects on the beauty of the moment: "Oh, the joy of life is here, / With its red wine and its cheer, / And its fellowship divine." Here, we see that the campers are not just surviving in the wilderness - they are thriving. They are experiencing the fullness of life, with all its joys and pleasures. The use of the word "divine" is interesting, as it suggests that there is something spiritual or transcendent about the experience of being in nature.
The final stanza brings the poem to a close: "So we'll sing the song of the camp-fire, / And we'll chant the chorus too, / And we'll laugh and toast and jest and sing, / As the flames dance high and blue." Here, we see that the campers are not just telling stories - they are creating a shared experience. They are singing and laughing and toasting to their friendship and their time together. The use of the word "chant" is interesting, as it suggests a ritualistic aspect to the gathering. The flames dancing high and blue is a beautiful image, and it brings the poem full circle - we started with the camp-fire burning bright, and we end with the flames dancing high and blue.
In conclusion, "The Song of the Camp-Fire" is a classic poem that captures the essence of what it's like to be out in the wilderness, surrounded by nature and the warmth of a fire. Through vivid descriptions and evocative language, Robert Service creates a sense of immersion in the natural world, and he celebrates the joy and fellowship that can be found in even the harshest of environments. This poem is a testament to the power of storytelling, the beauty of the North, and the resilience of the human spirit.
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