Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me; by D. H. Lawrence — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me; Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings. In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside And hymns in the cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide. So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.

Translation (English)

In the evening light, a woman sings to me softly; Taking me back through the years, until I see A child under the piano, feeling the strings' vibrations And touching the small, steady feet of a smiling mother as she sings. Despite myself, the subtle power of the song Pulls me back, making my heart long to belong To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside And hymns in the warm living room, the piano guiding us. Now it's pointless for the singer to sing loudly With the big black piano passionately. The charm Of childhood days overwhelms me, my adulthood is washed away In the flood of memories, I cry like a child for the past.

About the Poet

D. H. Lawrence (Modernist)

David Herbert Lawrence (1885–1930) was an English novelist, poet, and critic known for his modernist works that explore themes of modernity, alienation, and sexuality. Despite facing censorship and controversy, he is recognized for his imaginative and moral seriousness.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Lyric poem
When Written: Published in 1918
Background: The poem reflects Lawrence's nostalgia for childhood and the emotional power of music, capturing the universal longing for the innocence and comfort of the past.

Sources: https://poets.org/poem/piano, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44580/piano, https://americanliterature.com/author/d-h-lawrence/poem/piano

Detailed Explanation

In 'Piano,' D. H. Lawrence evokes a powerful sense of nostalgia as he recalls his childhood memories triggered by a woman's song. The poem begins with the gentle image of a woman singing at dusk, which transports the speaker back to his childhood. He vividly remembers sitting under a piano, feeling the vibrations of the music, and the comforting presence of his mother. The song's mastery is described as insidious, suggesting its ability to involuntarily draw him back to a time of warmth and security. Despite his adult self, the memories of old Sunday evenings, hymns, and the cozy parlor are so vivid that they reduce him to tears. The poem captures the universal longing for the innocence and comfort of the past, highlighting how certain sounds and songs can evoke deep emotional responses. The final lines emphasize the futility of trying to resist these memories, as the speaker is overwhelmed by the flood of remembrance, leaving him weeping for his lost childhood.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
dusk	twilight	the time when the day ends and evening begins	dusk
vista	view	a view or prospect, especially one seen through a long, narrow opening	vista
tingling	vibrating	a slight vibrating or prickling sensation	ting-ling
poised	balanced	balanced and ready	poizd
insidious	subtle	sneaky or tricky in a harmful way	in-sid-ee-us
mastery	control	great skill or control	mas-tuh-ree
betrays	reveals	shows or reveals without meaning to	bi-treys
clamour	noise	a loud noise or uproar	klam-er
appassionato	passionately	with deep feeling or emotion	uh-pash-uh-nah-toh
glamour	charm	an appealing or exciting quality	glam-er
remembrance	memory	the act of remembering	ri-mem-bruhns