Wilfred Owen
Sing me at morn but only with your laugh;
Even as Spring that laugheth into leaf;
Even as Love that laugheth after Life.
Sing me but only with your speech all day,
As voluble leaflets do; let viols die;
The least word of your lips is melody!
Sing me at eve but only your sigh!
Like lifting seas it solaceth; breathe so,
Slowly and low, the sense that no songs say.
Sing me at midnight with your murmurous heart!
Let youth’s immortal-moaning chord be heard
Throbbing through you, and sobbing, unsubdued.
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Analysis (AI Assisted)
This poem invites a speaker’s lover to express themselves through their voice and presence rather than through conventional or artificial music. There is a yearning for a connection that transcends formalities or structured art. Instead, the speaker desires the natural and intimate expressions of their lover — a laugh, a sigh, a heartbeat — each carrying more beauty and meaning than any instrument or song.
In the first stanza, the speaker asks for their lover to sing with their laugh in the morning, comparing it to the way Spring laughs into leaf and Love laughs after Life. The imagery of Spring and Love here suggests renewal, growth, and the joy that these seasons bring. The laugh is not just a sound; it represents the beginning of something new and beautiful, an awakening, and a pure, natural joy.
The second stanza continues the request, but now the speaker wants to hear their lover’s speech all day. There is no need for violins or other instruments, only the simple sound of their voice. The idea that “the least word of your lips is melody” elevates everyday conversation into something sacred, suggesting that the lover’s presence, no matter how casual, is music in its purest form. This also implies that words are more powerful than any crafted tune, as they are imbued with meaning and emotion unique to the relationship.
As the day shifts to evening, the speaker asks for a sigh, something soft and contemplative, yet full of depth. This sigh is compared to the “lifting seas,” soothing and calming, yet filled with untold emotions — a silent song that speaks more deeply than any words could. The sigh here is not simply a breath, but an emotional release that carries its own kind of comfort.
Finally, in the last stanza, the speaker asks for the “murmurous heart” of their lover at midnight. The night, often associated with mystery, quiet, and intimacy, is a time when the heart’s deepest emotions are most readily felt and heard. The reference to “youth’s immortal-moaning chord” evokes the bittersweet nature of love — it is both full of passion and filled with a sense of yearning that is never fully satisfied, a continuous sob that speaks of longing and desire.
Throughout the poem, the speaker’s requests for laughter, speech, sighs, and heartbeats emphasize the deeply personal, emotional nature of communication in love. Each form of expression is natural, unforced, and rooted in the self, making them more meaningful than any external art or performance. The speaker seems to imply that true love’s song is not something created or performed; it is something that lives in the everyday interactions between two people, in the simple and sincere moments that make up a shared life.