Poem Explanation

Prepared by: learnloophq@gmail.com

Last edited 11 days ago by Learn LoopHQ.

Chapter: 02. Piano

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Literary Appreciation

“Piano” by D.H. Lawrence is a beautiful and deeply moving poem that captures the incredible power of music and memory. Have you ever heard a song that instantly takes you back to a specific time, place, or feeling? This poem explores just that! It shows us how a simple melody can unlock a “flood of remembrance,” making us feel both the warmth of cherished memories and the bittersweet sadness of a past that’s gone. It’s a reminder that our past experiences shape who we are, and sometimes, all it takes is a familiar sound to bring them rushing back.

Summary of the Poem

The poem “Piano” is about a grown-up poet who is listening to a woman sing while playing the piano. As the music fills the room, it suddenly transports him back in time to his childhood. He vividly remembers sitting under the piano, feeling the vibrations of the strings, and watching his mother sing with a smile. Despite his adult self trying to resist, the powerful song makes his heart ache with longing for those cozy Sunday evenings from his past, filled with hymns and the tinkling piano. In the end, no matter how passionately the woman plays now, the poet is completely overwhelmed by his memories and weeps like a child for his lost childhood.

Poem Stanza by Stanza

Stanza 1: A Gentle Journey Back

Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me; Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings.

In this first part, the poet describes a quiet evening at dusk. A woman is singing and playing the piano, and her music immediately transports him through time. He sees himself as a young child again, sitting underneath the piano. He feels the vibrations of the strings (“boom of the tingling strings”) and observes his mother’s graceful, balanced feet (“poised feet”) as she plays and sings with a smile. It’s a peaceful, tender memory.

Stanza 2: The Heart’s Deep Longing

In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside And hymns in the cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.

Here, the poet explains that even though he might try to resist, the powerful and “insidious” (sneaky, deeply affecting) influence of the song takes control. It “betrays” him back to the past, making his heart ache deeply (“weeps to belong”). He longs for specific memories: the warm, comfortable (“cosy”) Sunday evenings at home during winter, when his family would sing hymns in the living room (“parlour”), guided by the familiar sound of the piano.

Stanza 3: Overwhelmed by Remembrance

So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.

In the final stanza, the poet realizes that it’s pointless (“vain”) for the present singer to play with great passion and loud noise (“clamour” and “appassionato”). The beauty and charm (“glamour”) of his childhood memories have completely taken over his adult self. His “manhood” (his adult identity) is completely swept away in an overwhelming “flood of remembrance.” He can’t help but cry like a child, consumed by his longing for those cherished days of the past.

Literary Techniques, Poetic Choices, and Figures of Speech

Simile: A comparison between two different things using “like” or “as.”

Example: “I weep like a child for the past.” (The poet’s crying is compared to a child’s crying.)

Transferred Epithet: An adjective that describes a characteristic of one thing, but is grammatically attached to a different noun in the sentence.

Example: “small, poised feet of a mother.” (It’s the mother who is poised, calm, and graceful, not literally her feet.)

Example: “the insidious mastery of song.” (The song isn’t sneaky itself, but its effect on the poet is sneaky and powerful.)

Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate the sound they describe.

Examples: “boom of the tingling strings,” “tinkling piano.” (These words help us “hear” the sounds of the piano.)

Personification: Giving human qualities or actions to inanimate objects or abstract ideas.

Example: “the insidious mastery of song / Betrays me back.” (The song is given the human action of “betraying” or tricking the poet.)

Metaphor: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”

Example: “Down in the flood of remembrance.” (Memories are compared to an overwhelming flood, showing how powerfully they sweep over the poet.)

Imagery: The use of descriptive language that appeals to our five senses, creating vivid pictures in our minds.

Examples: “Softly, in the dusk,” “great black piano,” “winter outside,” “cosy parlour,” “tingling strings.” (These phrases help us see, feel, and hear the scene.)

Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem. “Piano” follows an AABB CCDD EEFF rhyme scheme, which means the first two lines rhyme, then the next two, and so on. This creates a musical, flowing feel to the poem.

Themes / Message of the Poem

The Power of Memory and Nostalgia: The central theme is how deeply memories can affect us, especially when triggered by something like music. The poem beautifully portrays the feeling of nostalgia – a bittersweet longing for the past.

Music as a Catalyst: The poem highlights music’s incredible ability to transport us through time and evoke powerful emotions, acting as a “time machine” for the poet’s mind.

Loss of Childhood Innocence: The poet, as an adult, weeps for his childhood, suggesting a yearning for the simplicity, comfort, and “glamour” of those younger days that are now gone. It touches on the bittersweet reality of growing up.

The Bittersweetness of the Past: While the memories are warm and comforting (like the “cosy parlour”), they also bring sadness because that time is gone and cannot be relived, making the poet weep.

Author Spotlight: D.H. Lawrence

Did you know? David Herbert Lawrence, the poet of “Piano,” had a fascinating life! He was born in 1885 in a small mining town called Eastwood in England. His father was a coal miner, and his mother was a former teacher, which meant his home life had very different influences! This background often found its way into his stories and poems.

D.H. Lawrence was quite the adventurer! He didn’t just stay in England; he traveled all over the world, living in places like Italy, Australia, and even New Mexico in the United States. He was always curious about different cultures and ways of living.

And here’s a quirky fact: Besides being a prolific writer (meaning he wrote a lot!), D.H. Lawrence was also an artist! He loved to paint, and his paintings, much like his writing, were often very expressive and sometimes quite bold for his time. So, he wasn’t just a master of words, but also of colors and canvases! He was known for being very passionate about his ideas and wasn’t afraid to challenge common beliefs, which sometimes made his work quite controversial!

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