The Song of Wandering Aengus

Last updated on: November 4, 2010 at 12:01 am by michaboyett

The Song of Wandering Aengus 2010-11-04T00:01:58-07:00 michaboyett

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If you think I’ve forgotten about our sweet sashay into WB Yeats and his mythical poem, I’m here to remind you that I didn’t forget. Yes, it’s been on the blog wall for 3 months. Yes, the whole Mama:Monk thing is that we’re supposed to have one poem to memorize per month. Yes, I should confess that I didn’t start memorizing it until a month ago. But, forget? No. Feel guilty about my failure of a poetry appreciator? Yes.

All that to say, this Yeats poem has been deliberately working its way into my mind for the past month. It’s written on the dry-erase-marker-friendly, industrial back splash of our new kitchen and its lovely images have been nice to stir pots beside.

This poem is small to me in the sense that the narrative is small. There’s not some great emotional charge that comes from it (which is usually what draws me to a poem). But the story is grand in its speaker’s quest and the images are perfect. Really, that’s what I can’t get over in this poem. I can take or leave the speaker. I feel little for the “glimmering girl” and don’t necessarily love her. What I do love, though, is the apple blossom in her hair.

In fact, the apple is the perfectly round, ripe fruit that describes all the lovely images in this work. They’re these shiny fruits longing to be picked and held and admired…then crunched on.

Here is what I’m admiring: The “cut and peeled” hazel wand with a berry hanging from it by a thread. “Moth-like stars.” I can’t get over this image. I love how he introduces the moths in the line before then describes the stars as being the same. Of course stars are like white fuzzy moths. Why has no one described them this way before?

I love the “long dappled grass.” Dappled is one of those words that (at least for me) doesn’t even need to make sense here. I just adore the sound of it. But I love thinking of grass as being dappled, of the shade of the grass being patchy or blotchy. Why is that? The moonlight? Is it drying out?

And, of course, there are the apples. “The silver apples of the moon / The golden apples of the sun.” If there’s a perfectly legitimate reason for memorizing this poem, its so that for the rest of your life when you handle apples at the grocery store, you can whisper these two lines to yourself. What makes the apples of the moon silver? The shade of night? That’s what I assume. The apples take on their light source; they’re reflective. And in that sense, they’re magical.

Of course, this entire poem is magical. It’s just not magical enough to bring any kind of closure. This is a sad poem about a lonely man in a manic (a “fire” is in his head) search for a woman (/fish?) who knew his name then ran. He can’t stop following something that probably doesn’t exist. But what does exist is the way that light reflects on the apple. What exists is the elemental nature of the images.

What does that mean? I’m not sure. I just like the plop of the berry landing in the water. And I think that’s enough to make this poem worth my attention.

What do you think?

Uncategorized

poetry

story

Previous Post

November 2, 2010

Thankful Tuesday Q & A

Next Post

November 5, 2010 Friday Blogroll

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Deeper Church Beautiful Beautiful and Broken Books Broken Deeper Story Family and the Christian Year Family Life Found Friends Guest Post Invitation Motherhood My Chalkboard One Good Phrase Pinterest Place and Stability Poetry Practicing Benedict Thankful Tuesday The Daily The Mama Monk the Praying Life The Pursuit of Enough This Sacred Everyday Uncategorized Vlog Women and the Church World Vision

Select a Month March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John Peter Judas Thomas