The Lulla

By Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Elegy
    When the long day leans to the twilight,          When the Evening star climbs to the moon,     With a heart that is silently breaking,          I sit in the gloaming and croon.     I croon a low song for my darling,          My wee one, my baby, my own;     Who, cradled in rosewood and velvet,          Sleeps out in the churchyard alone.     Alone with no arms to enfold her,          Alone with no pillowing breast,     Alone with no hand on her cradle,          To rock her to soundlier rest.     But each day in the hush of the twilight,          Is silenced my broken heart's cry;     And I sit where I sat with my darling,          And sing her the old lullaby.     Oh! the dreams that come back to me mocking,          The sorrow that makes the days long;     As I sit in the twilight there rocking,          And singing that lullaby song.     But I think my wee darling rests better          As the night shadows lengthen, and creep     Across her low bed, in the churchyard,          If her mother's voice sings her to sleep.     And so with a heart that is breaking          I sing the old 'Lullaby dear'     That hushed her so oft into slumber -          O baby -my own -do you hear?

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This somber poem centers around the themes of loss, mourning, and maternal love. The speaker, presumably a mother, is dealing with the devastating loss of her child, and this is reflected through the poem's melancholic tone. She finds solace in the gloaming, or twilight, singing lullabies to her child who is no longer physically present with her.

The poem's structure is consistent, with alternating four-line and two-line stanzas, which perhaps reflects the rhythmic nature of a lullaby. Each stanza ends with a reference to the lullaby the mother sings, reinforcing her desperate attempt to maintain a connection with her departed child. The recurring use of twilight, a time between day and night, symbolizes the in-between state of her grief - caught between presence and absence, memory and reality.

The poem stands out in its use of rich and poignant sensory imagery. There are several effective literary devices at play here, one of them being personification. The day 'leans', the evening star 'climbs', dreams 'mock', and sorrow 'makes the days long'. This personification breathes life into the poem and reinforces the emotional depth of the speaker's grief.

The poem's final lines, where the mother questions if her child can hear her, introduces a touch of ambiguity, heightening the sense of longing and the depth of her grief. Overall, this piece is a haunting and deeply moving exploration of the human experience of loss and the enduring power of a mother's love.

Understanding Elegy

An elegy is a form of poetry that expresses sorrow or lamentation, often for someone who has died. This type of poetry serves as a tribute to the deceased, reflecting on their life and the grief left behind.

Elegies are deeply emotional and personal, exploring themes of loss, mourning, and remembrance. Here are some defining characteristics:

  • Mournful Tone: Elegies are characterized by a tone of sadness and reflection, as the poet grapples with the pain of loss.
  • Tribute to the Deceased: The subject of an elegy is often someone who has passed away, with the poem serving as a memorial that honors their life and legacy.
  • Personal Reflection: Elegies often include personal reflections on the impact of the deceased on the poet's life, as well as broader musings on mortality and the human condition.
  • Structure and Form: While elegies can vary in form, they often follow a traditional structure that includes an expression of grief, praise for the deceased, and a sense of consolation or acceptance.

From ancient times to the present, elegies have provided a way for poets to navigate the complexities of grief and loss, offering solace and a means of preserving the memory of those who have passed.