'"Fighting Mac"' by Robert Service
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The Spell of the Yukon and Other VersesA Life TragedyA pistol shot rings round and round the world;In pitiful defeat a warrior lies.
A last defiance to dark Death is hurled,A last wild challenge shocks the sunlit skies.Alone he falls, with wide, wan, woeful eyes:
Eyes that could smile at death -- could not face shame.Alone, alone he paced his narrow room,In the bright sunshine of that Paris day;
Saw in his thought the awful hand of doom;Saw in his dream his glory pass away;Tried in his heart, his weary heart, to pray:
"O God! who made me, give me strength to face
The spectre of this bitter, black disgrace."* * * * *The burn brawls darkly down the shaggy glen;The bee-kissed heather blooms around the door;
He sees himself a barefoot boy again,Bending o'er page of legendary lore.He hears the pibroch, grips the red claymore,
Runs with the Fiery Cross, a clansman true,
Sworn kinsman of Rob Roy and Roderick Dhu.Eating his heart out with a wild desire,One day, behind his counter trim and neat,
He hears a sound that sets his brain afire --The Highlanders are marching down the street.Oh, how the pipes shrill out, the mad drums beat!
"On to the gates of Hell, my Gordons gay!"
He flings his hated yardstick away.He sees the sullen pass, high-crowned with snow,Where Afghans cower with eyes of gleaming hate.
He hurls himself against the hidden foe.They try to rally -- ah, too late, too late!Again, defenseless, with fierce eyes that wait
For death, he stands, like baited bull at bay,
And flouts the Boers, that mad Majuba day.He sees again the murderous Soudan,Blood-slaked and rapine-swept. He seems to stand
Upon the gory plain of Omdurman.Then Magersfontein, and supreme commandOver his Highlanders. To shake his hand
A King is proud, and princes call him friend.
And glory crowns his life -- and now the end,The awful end. His eyes are dark with doom;He hears the shrapnel shrieking overhead;
He sees the ravaged ranks, the flame-stabbed gloom.Oh, to have fallen! -- the battle-field his bed,With Wauchope and his glorious brother-dead.
Why was he saved for this, for this? And now
He raises the revolver to his brow.* * * * *In many a Highland home, framed with rude art,You'll find his portrait, rough-hewn, stern and square;
It's graven in the Fuyam fellah's heart;The Ghurka reads it at his evening prayer;The raw lands know it, where the fierce suns glare;
The Dervish fears it. Honor to his name
Who holds aloft the shield of England's fame.Mourn for our hero, men of Northern race!We do not know his sin; we only know
His sword was keen. He laughed death in the face,And struck, for Empire's sake, a giant blow.His arm was strong. Ah! well they learnt, the foe
The echo of his deeds is ringing yet --
Will ring for aye. All else . . . let us forget.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Fighting Mac" by Robert Service: A Poetic Triumph
If there's one thing that can be said about Robert Service, it's that he knew how to write a poem that sticks in your mind long after you've read it. "Fighting Mac," which tells the story of a boxer who refuses to stay down, is no exception.
The Poem
Let's start by taking a closer look at the poem itself. "Fighting Mac" is a ballad, which means it tells a story in verse. The poem is made up of six stanzas, each with four lines. The rhyme scheme is AABB, which gives the poem a simple, almost sing-song quality.
At first glance, the language of the poem seems straightforward and unpretentious. Service uses simple, direct language to tell the story of Mac's fight. But a closer look reveals that there's more to the language than meets the eye.
The Language
One of the things that makes "Fighting Mac" so effective is the way Service uses language to create a sense of rhythm and momentum. The poem is full of alliteration (repeated sounds at the beginning of words) and consonance (repeated sounds within words). For example, in the second stanza, Service writes:
He'd a punch like a piston rod,
A swing like a beam of steel;
His arm was an iron god
And his fist a deathly wheel.
The repeated sounds of "p" and "s" give the lines a sense of power and force. It's almost as if we can hear the punches landing.
Another way Service uses language to create momentum is through repetition. In the fourth stanza, he writes:
He reeled and he staggered and spun,
But he would not go to the floor;
He was battered and bruised and done,
But he would not stay down for more.
The repeated phrase "he would not" emphasizes Mac's determination and unwillingness to give up.
The Theme
At its core, "Fighting Mac" is a poem about perseverance and determination in the face of adversity. Mac is not the most talented boxer, but he refuses to stay down. Service celebrates this quality in Mac, and in doing so, he celebrates the human spirit.
The theme of perseverance is reinforced by the structure of the poem. Each stanza tells the story of a different round of the fight. As the fight progresses, Mac becomes more battered and bruised, but he never gives up. The repetition of the structure emphasizes the theme of perseverance.
The Historical Context
To fully appreciate "Fighting Mac," it's important to understand the historical context in which it was written. Service was a Canadian poet who lived from 1874 to 1958. He is best known for his poems about the Yukon Gold Rush, but he also wrote about other aspects of Canadian life.
Boxing was a popular sport in the early 20th century, and there were many famous boxers of the time. "Fighting Mac" was likely inspired by one of these boxers, although it's unclear which one.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Fighting Mac" is a poem that celebrates the human spirit and the qualities of perseverance and determination. Through his use of language and structure, Service creates a sense of momentum and emphasizes the theme of perseverance. The poem is a testament to the power of language to inspire and uplift, and it continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Fighting Mac: A Poem of Bravery and Courage
Robert Service's poem "Fighting Mac" is a stirring tribute to the bravery and courage of a Scottish soldier who fought in the First World War. The poem is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in the face of danger and adversity, and it captures the spirit of heroism that inspired so many men to fight for their country.
The poem tells the story of Mac, a soldier who is wounded in battle and left for dead on the battlefield. Despite his injuries, Mac refuses to give up and continues to fight on, determined to defend his country and his comrades. The poem is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of courage in the face of adversity.
The poem begins with a description of Mac's bravery in battle. Service writes, "He was a soldier of the Legion / With the never-faltering line, / A fighter who fought with a passion / That was almost divine." This opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, emphasizing Mac's courage and determination in the face of danger.
The second stanza of the poem describes Mac's injuries. Service writes, "He lay on the field of battle / With a bullet in his brain, / And the blood from his wounds was flowing / Like a crimson, hideous stain." Despite the severity of his injuries, Mac refuses to give up. He continues to fight on, determined to defend his country and his comrades.
The third stanza of the poem describes Mac's determination to continue fighting. Service writes, "But he rose with a curse on his lips, / And he staggered to his feet, / And he fought like a man possessed / In the midst of the battle's heat." This stanza emphasizes Mac's determination and his refusal to give up, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes Mac's final moments. Service writes, "And he fell at last, still fighting, / With his face to the foe, / And the flag that he loved was flying / Above him, waving low." This stanza is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in the face of danger and adversity. Mac's bravery and courage in the face of death are a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of courage in the face of adversity.
The final stanza of the poem is a tribute to Mac's bravery and courage. Service writes, "He was a soldier of the Legion, / With the never-faltering line, / A fighter who fought with a passion / That was almost divine." This stanza emphasizes the importance of bravery and courage in the face of danger and adversity, and it is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in the service of their country.
In conclusion, Robert Service's poem "Fighting Mac" is a stirring tribute to the bravery and courage of a Scottish soldier who fought in the First World War. The poem is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in the face of danger and adversity, and it captures the spirit of heroism that inspired so many men to fight for their country. The poem is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of courage in the face of adversity, and it is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in the service of their country.
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