He Gives His Beloved Certain Rhymes
He Gives His Beloved Certain Rhymes - meaning Summary
Sorrowful Loveliness Offered
The speaker presents a modest gift of poems, saying his heart labored to fashion a "sorrowful loveliness" from past struggles. He asks the beloved to fasten her hair with a golden pin and sigh, suggesting that this small, graceful gesture will animate and transfigure the world: men's hearts will burn, sea foam and candles will shimmer, and stars will climb to light her path. The poem links intimate action to powerful, mythic response.
Read Complete AnalysesFasten your hair with a golden pin, And bind up every wandering tress; I bade my heart build these poor rhymes: It worked at them, day out, day in, Building a sorrowful loveliness Out of the battles of old times. You need but lift a pearl-pale hand, And bind up your long hair and sigh; And all men's hearts must burn and beat; And candle-like foam on the dim sand, And stars climbing the dew-dropping sky, Live but to light your passing feet.
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