THE RAINY DAY

 

                THE RAINY DAY

‘‘THE RAINY DAY” is an inspirational poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807—1882). He was the most popular poet in the 19^th century , known for such poems as THE RAINY DAY,  A PSALM OF LIFE, THE ARROW AND THE SONG and THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH. These are individual  poems. His  major works are THE SONG OF HIAWATHA and PAUL REVERE’S RIDE.

            The message of “The Rainy Day” is that life is not a continuation of sunny and cheerful days. It has also occasional rainy days which are “cold, dark and dreary’’. Those who regard this phenomenon as a lasting one are mistaken because even on a rainy day “Behind the clouds is the sun still shining.” The poet says that it is God’s universal scheme that “Into each life some rain must fall, /Some days must be dark and dreary,” As these days are exceptional, not general  , people, especially the youth,  must not form a pessimistic view of life.  

               The  full text of the poem reads as follows:

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;

It rains, and the wind is never weary;

The vine still clings to the moldering wall,

But at every gust the dead leaves fall,

And the day is dark and dreary.

 

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;

It rains, and the wind is never weary;

My thoughts still cling to the moldering past,

But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,

And the days are dark and dreary.

 

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;

Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;

The fate is the common fate of all,

Into each life some rain must fall,

Some days must be dark and dreary.

 

                                    ********

G.R.Kanwal

10^th October 2023

LOOK UP

 

          LOOK  UP

‘‘LOOK UP” is one of the shortest poems by the American statesman, author and orator Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909). He is best known for his writings such as “The Man” and two best quotes : (1) I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. (2) Coming together is a beginning Keeping together is progress; working together is success.

                        “Look Up” is a four-line inspirational poem. It reads like this:

                        Look up and not down.

                        Look forward and not back.

                        Look out and not in.

                        Lend a hand.

Each line inspires the reader to be better than what he is.  He should be optimistic, not pessimistic; progressive, not regressive; extrovert, not introvert and a helper to others whenever and wherever necessary.

                                                *******

G.R.Kanwal

9^th October 2023

THREE FAMOUS QUOTES FROM PLATO

 

          THREE FAMOUS QUOTES FROM PLATO

Plato was a Greek philosopher born in Athens in the classical  period corresponding to most of the 5^th and 4^th century B.C. The last Athenian period is calculated  as 510 B.C to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.

            He founded an Academy of philosophy, wrote many philosophical texts, one of the most famous being ‘The Republic’.

            The three famous quotes from him are:

1.     All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one workman.

2.     Books give a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.

3.     The measure of a man is what he does with power. The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life.

G.R.Kanwal

8^th October 2023

 

   

AT NIGHTFALL

 

          AT NIGHTFALL

 I need so much the quiet of your love

After the day’s loud strife

I need your calm all other things above

After the stress of life.

 

I crave the haven that in your dear heart lies,

After all toil is done;

I need the starshine of your heavenly eyes,

After the day’s great sun.

 

            This very short  poem which makes the difference between the strife of the day and the rest of the night is by the American poet Charles Hanson Towne (1877—1949).  The poet tells his beloved how when he is away from her his day is spent in stressful labour of the day and he waits for the nightfall when there will be her stress-bursting  heavenly eyes.  He will have rest instead of toil and calmness in place of turbulent activities of the day. The night is thus presented as a time of relaxation, and of union with his lover in whose heart he sees a heaven  for himself. This change from day to night is his physical and mental need. The day is a stress breeder without the presence of his lover and the night is stress-buster with her presence.  

 

                                                **********

G. R. Kanwal

7^th October 2023      

LIVING WITH ANIMALS

 

 

                                                LIVING WITH ANIMALS

This is not the full title of the poem of the American poet Walt Whitman (1819—1892). The title of his poem is I Think I Could Turn And Live With Animals.  This poem occurs in his book “Leaves of Grass”. It is on the basis of this book that he has been called the poet of democracy. Grass being a symbol of minor individuals and leaves of grass of minor poems. Here the readers find ‘celebration of individuality in relation to society and nature’.

            In his poem which is given below Whitman prefers the company of animals to those of human beings. Animals have no artificiality . They live a natural life.  They have no idea of sin and repentance.  They have no artificial manners and false behaviour. They live a simple and uncomplicated life, so they are happy, while human beings lead an unhappy life because of their unrealistic adopted ways and manners. Whitman appreciates the simple natural  life style of animals and says:

            I think I could turn and live with animals, they’re so placid and self-contained.

I stand and look at them long and long.

           

            They do not sweat and whine about their condition,

            They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,

            They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God.

            Not one is dissatisfied , not one is demented with mania of owning things,

            Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago,

            Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.

 

So they show their relations to me and I accept them,

They bring me tokens of myself, they evince them plainly in

their possession.

 

I wonder where they get those tokens

Did I pass that way huge times ago and negligently drop them?

 

                                    *********

G.R.Kanwal

6^th October 2023

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER LOVE

 

                                AFTER LOVE

‘AFTER LOVE’ is a short poem by the British poet and critic Arthur Symons (1865-1945). He was a symbolist and a believer in extravagant passion. In ‘After Love’ he talks about the sweet days of his love and the painful days of its termination. He tells his lady love that during the period of love their meetings were sweet, now when love is over, he cannot agree to meet her as a friend.  Becoming a friend from a lover is unacceptable stooping. “It is too hard, too hard to meet/If we must love no more.” The end of love should mean the end of all sorts of future meetings.  

            What follows is the complete poem:-

OH, TO PART now, and, parting now,

Never to meet again;

To have done forever, I and thou,

With joy, and so with pain.

 

It is too hard to meet

If we must love no more;

Those other meetings, were too sweet

That went before.

 

 And I would have, now love is over,

An end to all, an end;

I cannot, having been your lover,

Stoop to become your friend !

                                              ********

G.R.Kanwal

5^th October 2023

THE CONSTANT LOVER

 

          THE CONSTANT LOVER

“The Constant Lover” is a poem by the English poet Sir John Suckling (1609-1642). A staunch royalist, he was very rich, brilliant, witty, spendthrift and libertine. His love poems are full of fun and frivolity. ‘The Constant Lover’ is slightly different. It tells us that you cannot win the heart of a lady by becoming pale-faced or by becoming morose and silent.   There is no pity for lovers due to these  postures.  Love cannot be created by such devices.  Love is natural. If a lady will not herself be inclined to love , nothing can move her so.  

            Here is the text of the poem:-

Why so pale and wan, fond lover?

Prithee, why so pale?

Will, when looking well can”t move her,

Looking ill prevail?

Prithee, why so pale?

 

Why so dull and mute, young sinner?

Prithee, why so mute?

Will, when speaking well can’t win her,

Saying nothing do’t ?

Prithee, why so mute?

 

Quit, quit, for shame! This will not move,

This cannot take her;

If of herself she will not love,

Nothing can make her;

The Devil take her !

                                                            ******

G.R.Kanwal

4^th October 2023