One of his lesser known works, apparently. I defy all who might think it mawkish, saccharin, maudlin, cheesy. I think it none of those things.
VALEDICTION
Lady with the frilled blouse
And simple tartan skirt,
Since you left the house
Its emptiness has hurt
All thought. In your presence
Time rode easy, anchored
On a smile; but absence
Rocked love's balance, unmoored
The days. They buck and bound
Across the calendar,
Pitched from the quiet sound
Of your flower-tender
Voice. Need breaks on my strand;
You've gone, I am at sea.
Until you resume command,
Self is in mutiny.
What's the hidden meaning to this poem?
Posted by: Katherine at March 7, 2006 02:25 PMNo hidden meaning as far as I know. Sorry. It's just the timeless storyline: chick skips town, guy's heart breaks, he can't live without her, and so on. I didn't pick it because of some special encoded meaning or anything. I just thought it was well-put.
Posted by: sligh at March 7, 2006 04:02 PMThis poem is about a man who loved a woman deeply, but when she left his life was meaningless. It has a deep meaning of love and compassion. The last part of self is in munity means that inside he fighting himself. Perhaps an example is him trying to be happy, but his other side (preferably his heart) makes him unhappy and unable to forget her. When this poem describe the days as "they buck and bound
across the calendar", it means that he lost track of time because his days are pointless/empty without her. This is a vey compassionate poem.
Actually, valediction is a word derived from latin which means a farewell. Heaney's wife had left for a brief period to care for her mother. It was in the early days of their marraige. She did come back by the way. i suppose it's a comment on how dependent we become on someone when we marry them, how our days are given rhytym and routine...without her he feels unanchored. it's a beautiful poem. i also recommend reading twice shy which is about their first date.
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