An Introduction to the Study of Robert Browning's Poetry Part 32

"Art thou a dumb, wronged thing that would be righted, Entrusting thus thy cause to me? Forbear!

No tongue can mend such pleadings; faith, requited With falsehood,--love, at last aware Of scorn,--hopes, early blighted,--

3.

"We have them; but I know not any tone So fit as thine to falter forth a sorrow: Dost think men would go mad without a moan, If they knew any way to borrow A pathos like thy own?

4.

"Which sigh wouldst mock, of all the sighs? The one So long escaping from lips starved and blue, That lasts while on her pallet-bed the nun Stretches her length; her foot comes through The straw she shivers on;

5.

"You had not thought she was so tall: and spent, Her shrunk lids open, her lean fingers shut Close, close, their sharp and livid nails indent The clammy palm; then all is mute: That way, the spirit went.

6.

"Or wouldst thou rather that I understand Thy will to help me?--like the dog I found Once, pacing sad this solitary strand, Who would not take my food, poor hound, But whined, and licked my hand."

-- St. 1-6. See foot-note to the Argument of this section.

7.

All this, and more, comes from some young man's pride Of power to see,--in failure and mistake, Relinquishment, disgrace, on every side,-- Merely examples for his sake, Helps to his path untried:

8.

Instances he must--simply recognize?

Oh, more than so!--must, with a learner's zeal, Make doubly prominent, twice emphasize, By added touches that reveal The G.o.d in babe's disguise.

9.

Oh, he knows what defeat means, and the rest!

Himself the undefeated that shall be: Failure, disgrace, he flings them you to test,-- His triumph, in eternity Too plainly manifest!

-- St. 7-9. She reflects, ironically and sarcastically, upon the confidence of the young poet, resulting from his immaturity, in his future triumph over all obstacles. Inexperienced as he is, he feels himself the G.o.d in babe's disguise, etc. He will learn after a while what the wind means in its moaning. The train of thought in St. 11-16 is presented in the Argument.

10.

Whence, judge if he learn forthwith what the wind Means in its moaning--by the happy prompt Instinctive way of youth, I mean; for kind Calm years, exacting their accompt Of pain, mature the mind:

11.

And some midsummer morning, at the lull Just about daybreak, as he looks across A sparkling foreign country, wonderful To the sea's edge for gloom and gloss, Next minute must annul,--

12.

Then, when the wind begins among the vines, So low, so low, what shall it say but this?

"Here is the change beginning, here the lines Circ.u.mscribe beauty, set to bliss The limit time a.s.signs."

13.

Nothing can be as it has been before; Better, so call it, only not the same.

To draw one beauty into our hearts' core, And keep it changeless! such our claim; So answered,--Never more!

14.

Simple? Why this is the old woe o' the world; Tune, to whose rise and fall we live and die.

Rise with it, then! Rejoice that man is hurled From change to change unceasingly, His soul's wings never furled!

15.

That's a new question; still replies the fact, Nothing endures: the wind moans, saying so; We moan in acquiescence: there's life's pact, Perhaps probation--do I know?

G.o.d does: endure his act!

16.

Only, for man, how bitter not to grave On his soul's hands' palms one fair good wise thing Just as he grasped it! For himself, death's wave; While time first washes--ah, the sting!-- O'er all he'd sink to save.

VII. Among the Rocks.

1.

Oh, good gigantic smile o' the brown old earth, This autumn morning! How he sets his bones To bask i' the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet For the ripple to run over in its mirth; Listening the while, where on the heap of stones The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.

2.

That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true; Such is life's trial, as old earth smiles and knows.

If you loved only what were worth your love, Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you: Make the low nature better by your throes!

Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!