Claude Templer
Sorrow, that dark browed lady beautiful,
Loveth me with a strange compelling love.
Two eyes of brown hath she, so deep, so full
Of mystery and longing. She hath wove
Around my soul a web of weird desire.
And I lie in the thrall ofher empire.
For sometimes she will nestle ‘gainst my breast
And lift her soft sad eyes to mine and gaze
Through all my soul. And sometimes she will rest
Her cheek ‘gainst mine so gently. Other days,
With soft voluptuous and impassioned sigh,
She will cling to my lips in ecstasy.
A beautiful blonde girl with gentle smile
And a kind of half promise in her eyes,
Once I pursued. She smiled but all the while
Repulsed my ardent wooing. I prefer
My soul impassioned sorrow girl to her.
For there’s a sweetness, a strange ecstasy
In sorrow’s kisses passionate that ne’er”
Is found in joy’s baisers de butterfly”.
I have gazed deep in sorrow’s soul and there
I found the love that joy refused to me:
Love such as Christ’s that died in agony.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem delves into a complex relationship with sorrow, personifying it as a beautiful and seductive figure that holds the speaker in a state of longing and yearning. The speaker’s affection for sorrow is paradoxical, as they seem to embrace and even prefer it to joy. The figure of sorrow is described as a “dark browed lady beautiful,” invoking an image of something alluring yet tragic. Her “deep” brown eyes are filled with mystery and longing, and she creates a web of “weird desire” around the speaker’s soul, holding them captive.
What is compelling about this portrayal is the speaker’s acceptance and almost reverent tone towards sorrow. It’s not a figure to be feared or avoided, but one to be desired, even if it comes with pain. The sorrow’s actions—nestling against the speaker’s breast, gazing deeply into their soul, and offering passionate, almost ecstatic kisses—seem to provide an emotional experience that the speaker finds more profound than the fleeting, superficial joys represented by “joy’s baisers de butterfly” (butterfly kisses). The mention of joy’s rejection, as symbolized by the “beautiful blonde girl with gentle smile,” further contrasts the superficial allure of joy with the deeper, more enduring connection the speaker finds in sorrow.
The speaker reflects on their past pursuit of a joyful, fleeting love, but there’s an acceptance that such a love, although seemingly light and beautiful, lacks the depth and emotional resonance found in sorrow’s embrace. Sorrow’s “voluptuous” and “impassioned sighs” suggest a profound emotional and physical connection that contrasts with the shallowness of joy. The speaker even finds beauty in the agony sorrow represents, likening it to a love akin to Christ’s suffering—a love that is self-sacrificial, deep, and spiritually significant.
In this poem, sorrow is not just a source of pain, but a lover, offering an emotional experience that is intoxicating and profound. The speaker seems to suggest that true love—one that cuts through the surface and reaches the soul—often comes with suffering, and it’s through that suffering that one finds a deeper, more meaningful connection. The preference for sorrow over joy reflects a belief that real emotional depth is found in life’s darker moments, where love and pain are intertwined.
Overall, the poem contrasts the ephemeral nature of joy with the lasting intensity of sorrow, portraying it as a more genuine and meaningful force. The speaker’s romanticization of sorrow as a lover creates a haunting, almost melancholic tone, where the beauty of pain and longing becomes something to be desired rather than feared. The use of religious imagery, such as the reference to Christ’s love, elevates sorrow to a higher, almost sacred plane, suggesting that suffering and love are inseparable, and that true love is often born from agony.