The Gardener 33: Forgive Me
The Gardener 33: Forgive Me - meaning Summary
A Plea Across Passions
The speaker addresses a beloved and repeatedly asks forgiveness for three states provoked by love: misguided longing, suffering, and ecstatic joy. Images of a lost bird, a naked heart, and a tyrant on a throne show vulnerability, shame, dependence, and pride. The poem frames love as both weakness and power, requesting mercy whether it causes pain, humiliation, or arrogant delight, and seeking acceptance of the lover’s full emotional range.
Read Complete AnalysesI love you, beloved. Forgive me my love. Like a bird losing its way I am caught. When my heart was shaken it lost its veil and was naked. Cover it with pity, beloved, and forgive me my love. If you cannot love me, beloved, forgive me my pain. Do not look askance at me from afar. I will steal back to my corner and sit in the dark. With both hands I will cover my naked shame. Turn your face from me, beloved, and forgive me my pain. If you love me, beloved, forgive me my joy. When my heart is borne away by the flood of happiness, do not smile at my perilous abandonment. When I sit on my throne and rule you with my tyranny of love, when like a goddess I grant you my favour, bear with my pride, beloved, and forgive me my joy.
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