Charles Sorley
I BRAND
Thou trod’st the shifting sand path where man’s race is.
The print of thy soft sandals is still clear.
I too have trodden it those prints a-near,
But the sea washes out my tired foot-traces.
And all that thou hast healed and holpen here
I yearned to heal and help and wipe the tear
Away. But still I trod unpeopled spaces.
I had no twelve to follow my pure paces.
For I had thy misgivings and thy fear,
Thy crown of scorn, thy suffering’s sharp spear,
Thy hopes, thy longings–only not thy dear
Love (for my crying love would no man hear),
Thy will to love, but not thy love’s sweet graces,
That deep firm foothold which no sea erases.
I think that thou wast I in bygone places
In an intense eliminated year.
Now born again in days that are more drear
I wander unfulfilled: and see strange faces.
II PEER GYNT
When he was young and beautiful and bold
We hated him, for he was very strong.
But when he came back home again, quite old,
And wounded too, we could not hate him long.
For kingliness and conquest pranced he forth
Like some high-stepping charger bright with foam.
And south he strode and east and west and north
With need of crowns and never need of home.
Enraged we heard high tidings of his strength
And cursed his long forgetfulness. We swore
That should he come back home some eve at length.
We would deny him, we would bar the door!
And then he came. The sound of those tired feet!
And all our home and all our hearts are his,
Where bitterness, grown weary, turns to sweet,
And envy, purged by longing, pity is.
And pillows rest beneath the withering cheek,
And hands are laid the battered brows above,
And he whom we had hated, waxen weak,
First in his weakness learns a little love.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
In these two poems, we explore themes of longing, unfulfilled desire, and the complexities of love and identity. The first poem, *I BRAND*, expresses a profound sense of connection and disconnection, as the speaker compares their journey to that of another. The opening lines refer to the image of someone—possibly a divine or historical figure—who once walked a path that the speaker also traverses, but with a sense of impermanence. The “shifting sand path” suggests that the speaker’s efforts are fleeting, washed away by the sea, while the figure they follow seems to have left a lasting imprint, a “footprint” on the world.
The speaker feels a deep yearning to heal and help others, as the figure did, but is unable to leave a permanent mark. They share the figure’s suffering and longing, but are trapped by their own inability to connect and be heard. The line “my crying love would no man hear” reveals the speaker’s isolation and sense of inadequacy in comparison to the figure, who is able to offer love unconditionally. Despite this, the speaker’s introspection hints at a shared past with the figure—perhaps a past life or spiritual connection—suggesting that their current isolation is part of an ongoing, unresolved cycle.
The speaker’s dissatisfaction is intensified by a sense of being “born again” into a more sorrowful, “drear” time, where they continue to wander unfulfilled. The images of shifting sands and unpeopled spaces symbolize the speaker’s sense of detachment and loneliness, reinforcing their feelings of invisibility in a world where their attempts to love and heal remain unnoticed.
In the second poem, *PEER GYNT*, the figure in question seems to be based on the mythical character Peer Gynt, known for his self-centered pursuits of glory and escape from responsibility. This poem explores the shift in perception of the figure, who is initially hated for his strength, ambition, and pride. Peer Gynt is depicted as a force of conquest, roaming the world without need for a home. The hatred for him intensifies as he achieves greatness, yet there is an inevitable shift when he returns home “quite old / And wounded too.” This return marks a vulnerability in the figure, and the very people who once cursed him for his strength now pity him.
The poem reveals the contradictory nature of human emotions: how hate can be transformed into love through time, weakness, and the passage of life. As Peer Gynt grows weary, the same people who once rejected him begin to care for him, offering “rest beneath the withering cheek.” In his weakness, he learns to accept love, and in turn, those who once hated him find a deeper empathy for his plight.
Both poems explore the tension between strength and vulnerability, love and isolation, and the impact of time on perception. In *I BRAND*, the speaker’s longing to heal and be loved is unreciprocated, while in *PEER GYNT*, the powerful figure’s return brings a shift from disdain to empathy, showing how time and human frailty can transform relationships. The central message in both works suggests that love, healing, and connection often come with a deep sense of suffering and a long process of acceptance, whether it be in the form of the figure in the first poem or the figure of Peer Gynt in the second. Both poems reflect on the complexities of human relationships and the sometimes painful journey of transformation and self-discovery.