The Malay Took the Pearl
poem 452
The Malay Took the Pearl - meaning Summary
Desire, Loss, and Otherness
The speaker recounts losing a pearl they coveted but would not risk the sea to retrieve. A Malay man swims out and brings the jewel to his hut, leaving the speaker to reflect on their fear, unworthiness, and the unexpected bearer. The poem notes racialized figures without moral judgment and ends by suggesting the outcome—whether to possess or to lose—meant the same to the rescuer as to the speaker.
Read Complete AnalysesThe Malay took the Pearl Not I the Earl I feared the Sea too much Unsanctified to touch Praying that I might be Worthy the Destiny The Swarthy fellow swam And bore my Jewel Home Home to the Hut! What lot Had I the Jewel got Borne on a Dusky Breasty I had not deemed a Vest Of Amber fit The Negro never knew I wooed it too To gain, or be undone Alike to Him One
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