From Hafiz

By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lyric Poem
    I said to heaven that glowed above,     O hide yon sun-filled zone,     Hide all the stars you boast;     For, in the world of love     And estimation true,     The heaped-up harvest of the moon     Is worth one barley-corn at most,     The Pleiads' sheaf but two.     If my darling should depart,     And search the skies for prouder friends,     God forbid my angry heart     In other love should seek amends.     When the blue horizon's hoop     Me a little pinches here,     Instant to my grave I stoop,     And go find thee in the sphere.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem conveys a deep sense of love, longing, and the fear of loss, expressed through celestial imagery. The opening stanza sets the tone by juxtaposing the grandeur of the heavens with the intimate, personal world of love. The speaker dismisses the sun and the stars as insignificant compared to the love they hold for their beloved. The 'heaped-up harvest of the moon' and 'Pleiads' sheaf' serve as metaphors for the vastness of the universe and its glories, but they are deemed trivial - worth only a barley-corn or two - in the face of love.

In the second stanza, the speaker's fear of losing their beloved becomes palpable. They express a refusal to seek solace in other relationships, asserting that such a loss would lead them to their grave. The final couplet employs the image of the 'blue horizon's hoop' pinching the speaker, a metaphor for the pain of separation. The speaker declares that they would rather die and seek their beloved in the afterlife than endure their absence. The poem's structure, alternating between grand celestial imagery and intimate expressions of love and longing, emphasizes the power and depth of the speaker's emotions. Overall, the poem is a poignant exploration of love's intensity, its capacity to eclipse all else, and the despair induced by the prospect of its loss.

Exploring Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry is a powerful and intimate form of expression, characterized by its focus on the personal emotions and thoughts of the poet. Often musical in nature, lyric poems resonate with readers through their vivid language and rhythmic flow, capturing moments of intense feeling.

Here are some key characteristics that define lyric poetry:

  • Expressive Language: Lyric poems use rich and evocative language to convey deep emotions, often painting a vivid picture of the poet's inner world.
  • Personal Perspective: Typically written in the first person, these poems offer a window into the poet's personal experiences, thoughts, and reflections.
  • Musicality: Lyric poems often feature a rhythmic structure, with meter and rhyme that give them a song-like quality, enhancing the emotional impact.

From ancient odes to contemporary free verse, lyric poetry remains a beloved and enduring form, celebrated for its ability to articulate the nuances of human emotion in a way that resonates deeply with readers.