I Would to Heaven That I Were So Much Clay
I Would to Heaven That I Were So Much Clay - meaning Summary
Wishing to Be Clay
The speaker expresses a wish to be "so much clay" rather than a living, feeling human, hoping that would erase past pains and relieve anxiety about the future. The poem frames this despair with wry self-awareness: the narrator admits to being "got drunk exceedingly" and oscillates between solemn reflection and comic resignation. It captures Byronian self-critique, melancholy, and escapism tied to alcohol and impulsive behavior.
Read Complete AnalysesI would to heaven that I were so much clay, As I am blood, bone, marrow, passion, feeling – Because at least the past were passed away – And for the future – (but I write this reeling, Having got drunk exceedingly today, So that I seem to stand upon the ceiling) I say – the future is a serious matter – And so – for God’s sake – hock and soda water!
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