Claude Templer
As lips of flowers open’ neath the breath
Ofthe Sun Lover’s kiss, so openeth
My heart to thee, Sorrow, thy kisses’ neath;
Thy beauty is a flame that withereth.
Thou art the rainbow and the soft snow flakes,
And it is thou sweepest with frenzied fingers
The forest harp chords.’ Tis thy voice that makes
The sweet wild rain song. Ah! My whole soul lingers
On rapture’s faery verge. ForI can hear the soft
“Voices of many angels singing. Sadness “.
“They sing; is queen of Heaven “. Ah, how oft
Have I felt thee near me in gath’ring shade;
Felt of thy gloom kisses the scented breath
And loved thee! Sorrow! Sorrow! Thou art made
Of Love flame. And thy beauty withereth.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem personifies Sorrow as a complex and paradoxical force, blending pain and beauty, destruction and creation, and evoking a deeply emotional response. The speaker’s relationship with Sorrow is not one of resistance or rejection but of intimacy and reverence, portraying sorrow as an integral and even essential part of the human experience.
The poem opens with a comparison of the speaker’s heart to a flower opening under the sun’s kiss, except here, the sun is replaced by Sorrow. This inversion of a traditionally joyful metaphor immediately signals the speaker’s unusual perspective—Sorrow is not merely endured but embraced, its kisses likened to something that awakens the heart. The imagery suggests a bittersweet allure, as Sorrow’s beauty is described as a flame that “withereth,” emphasizing its dual nature: captivating yet consuming.
The second stanza explores the multifaceted manifestations of Sorrow in nature. It becomes a rainbow, snowflakes, and the hands that play the “forest harp chords,” connecting sorrow to both fleeting beauty and enduring resonance. This portrayal of Sorrow as the voice behind the rain and the force behind the music of the forest captures its omnipresence in life and its role in shaping the world’s beauty and melancholy. The speaker’s “whole soul lingers on rapture’s faery verge,” illustrating how sorrow brings the speaker to the edge of sublime understanding—a state of simultaneous pain and transcendence.
The turning point comes when the speaker hears “voices of many angels” singing that “Sadness is queen of Heaven.” This line elevates sorrow to a divine status, suggesting that it holds a central place in the universe’s emotional and spiritual fabric. By aligning sorrow with heavenly power, the poem redefines it as a source of profound wisdom and transformation rather than a purely negative experience.
The closing lines return to the personal, describing how the speaker feels Sorrow’s presence in gathering shadows, its kisses carrying the “scented breath” of something simultaneously mournful and enchanting. The repetition of “Sorrow! Sorrow!” emphasizes the speaker’s emotional intensity, while the final line reiterates the paradox of Sorrow’s beauty—it is made of “Love flame,” yet it withers. This underscores the inextricable link between love and pain, joy and loss, and how they define and enrich each other.
In essence, this poem offers a meditation on the duality of sorrow. Through vivid imagery and a tone of almost worshipful awe, the speaker paints sorrow as a force that both wounds and heals, diminishes and elevates. It is a reminder that even in suffering, there is beauty and meaning, and that embracing sorrow can lead to a deeper understanding of life’s complexities.