Hello Johneyfastfingers-ga:
It was a delight to answer such an interesting question. I attempted
this question because I not only write short poems (amateur) but also
hold the gratitude of having various writers and poets as my critics.
The poem in question is of nineteenth century English origin;
therefore, I thought it to be appropriate to get my work criticized by
one of my critics who is English. Mr. David Lawrey is a Critique for
Los Angeles Times and has written many poems. Sorry! It took me a
while to fax my work and get a response.
The poem, “A Mother to her waking Infant”, is a form of tetrameter
couplets in a six line stanza format. Please refer to the following
pages for further illustrations:
Examples of Stanzas and Fixed Forms
http://www.uncg.edu/~htkirbys/stanzas.htm
Common English Stanza Forms
http://www.uncg.edu/~htkirbys/stanzatable.html
SUMMARY
In the poem, a mother is lovingly exemplifying the innocence of her
child’s young mind by singing. She is describing the various
characteristics that he displays and hopes that one day he will be her
guardian when she gets old.
DESCRIPTION
****** A short summary of the stanza
* implied meaning
--------Original-------
NOW in thy dazzled half-op'd eye,
Thy curled nose and lip awry,
Up-hoisted arms and noddling head,
And little chin with crystal spread,
Poor helpless thing! what do I see,
That I should sing of thee?
-------Description------
****** The mother is overcome by the innocence of her child and wants
to sing for her.
In your dazzled half open eyes,
Your curled nose and skewed lips,
Arms and head which are hoisted above as asking her to pick him,
*noddle is a very old word that itself means head or moving head.
And little chin with crystal spread,
*by crystal spread she means ‘saliva’.
Poor helpless thing! What do I see,
Shouldn’t I sing for you?
------Original-------
From thy poor tongue no accents come,
Which can but rub thy toothless gum:
Small understanding boasts thy face,
Thy shapeless limbs nor step nor grace:
A few short words thy feats may tell,
And yet I love thee well.
------Description------
****** You cannot express yourself but I still love you
You cannot explain anything from your tongue,
*accents can also mean ‘sing’ meaning you cannot sing or produce a
musical dialect
But only rub our toothless gums:
Even then, it seems from your face that you understand me,
You have delicate limbs and you cannot walk, hence you are without
grace:
A few short words may be enough to describe you,
And still, I love you with fervor.
------Original-------
When wakes the sudden bitter shriek,
And redder swells thy little cheek;
When rattled keys thy woes beguile,
And through thine eye-lids gleams the smile,
Still for thy weakly self is spent
Thy little silly plaint.
-------Description-------
****** You keep complaining even when I soothe you
When you wake up with a bitter shriek,
And your cheeks get red in color as if swelled,
When I rattle the keys to soothe you down,
*notice beguile is used as to “distract attention” and not as cunning
etc
And through your eye-lids gleams a smile,
You are exhausted,
You little silly one who is always complaining.
*notice that plaint is used to describe the one who cries for the
grievance to be redressed.
------Original--------
But when thy friends are in distress,
Thou'lt laugh and chuckle ne'ertheless,
Nor with kind sympathy be smitten,
Though all are sad but thee and kitten;
Yet, puny varlet that thou art,
Thou twitchest at the heart.
-------Description-------
****** You laugh cunningly when the other youngsters cry and enjoy it
But when your friends are in a distress,
Nevertheless, you will laugh quietly to yourself,
You are not overtaken by any kind of remorse on your actions,
*Here, Smitten means that you will not feel sympathetic
Although, all are sad by the grievance of others BUT only you and
kitten;
*Why kitten? Kitten is implied here for its innocence and jolly nature
You are a varlet (unreliable scoundrel) who is always playing tiny
tricks. It’s you hobby,
You, who is so unpredictable.
*meaning of twitchest is ambiguous here, and can only be translated
into unreliable etc.
------Original------
Thy smooth round cheek so soft and warm;
Thy pinky hand and dimpled arm;
Thy silken locks that scantly peep,
With gold-tipp'd ends, where circles deep,
Around thy neck in harmless grace,
So soft and sleekly hold their place,
Might harder hearts with kindness fill,
And gain our right goodwill.
-------Description------
****** May your looks fill the hearts with love
The smooth round cheek so soft and warm;
Your pink colored hand and dimpled arm;
*notice that pinky is a variant of pink and not a pinky(finger)
Your silky hairs that protrude from the skin as if they are peeping
out,
The tip of the hair is golden and they stretch far beyond the head,
*circle deep is used to express the round shape of the head
Around your neck in harmless grace,
*referring to hairs
So soft and sleekly hold their place,
*referring to hairs
Might your looks fill the hearts with kindness,
And gain our goodwill.
------Original-------
Each passing clown bestows his blessing,
Thy mouth is worn with old wives' kissing;
E'en lighter looks the gloomy eye
Of surly sense when thou art by;
And yet, I think, whoe'er they be,
They love thee not like me.
-----Description------
******Every one who looks at you, bestow you with kindness
Each passer by who looks at you bestow his blessing,
*notice that joker implies people who act funny to please kids.
Your mouth is worn with old wives’ kissing
*old here means, ‘wise’.
When the evening light looks into your sleep stricken eyes
It surely sense that your funny acts are over;
And yet, I think, whoever it may be,
They do not love you as much as I.
------Original------
Perhaps when time shall add a few
Short months to thee thou'lt love me too;
And after that, through life's long way,
Become my sure and cheering stay;
Will care for me and be my hold,
When I am weak and old.
------Description------
****** Once I get older, you will care for me
Perhaps when the time shall add a few(months)
Cont: short months to you, you will be able to express your love more
passionately;
*The two lines mean that once you grow up a little, you can express
yourself
And after that, through life’s long way,
Become my sure and cheering stay;
*here, stray means support.
Will care for me and be my hold,
When I am weak and old.
------Original-------
Thou'lt listen to my lengthened tale,
And pity me when I am frail * --
But see, the sweepy spinning fly,
Upon the window takes thine eye.
Go to thy little senseless play;
Thou dost not heed my lay.
------Description------
****** At this time you are busy in your own mischief and do not
listen to my song.
You will listen to my tale(once you grow up),
And care for me once I get weak
But you are too busy watching a fly wandering around in the room,
Your eyes are fixed on the window ,
Your eyes (they) are fixated on the senseless play of the fly;
He doesn’t pay attention to what I am singing.
*here, lay means, ‘song’.
I hope this will help. Please, clarify before rating, if you are not
satisfied. I wish you a very good luck.
Sincerely,
Leader-ga |
