Can someone help me analyze this poem:

[chiwawa626]

SWEET Peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And ask'd, if Peace were there.
A hollow wind did seem to answer, No:
Go seek elsewhere.

I did; and going did a rainbow note:
Surely, thought I,
This is the lace of Peace's coat:
I will search out the matter.
But while I lookt, the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.

Then went I to a garden, and did spy
A gallant flower,
The crown Imperial: Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell.
But when I digg'd, I saw a worm devour
What show'd so well.

At length I met a rev'rend good old man,
Whom when for Peace
I did demand; he thus began:
There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who liv'd with good increase
Of flock and fold.

He sweetly liv'd; yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat:
Which many wondring at, got some of those
To plant and set.

It prosper'd strangely, and did soon disperse
Through all the earth:
For they that taste it do rehearse,
That virtue lies therein,
A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sin.

Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you;
Make bread of it: and that repose
And Peace which ev'ry where
With so much earnestness you do pursue,
Is only there.

 

[Azraele]

Try going line by line and digging for the meaning. To start you off, the narrator is seeking peace. In the first part, he/she sought peace in a cave, and when he/she asked if peace could be found within the cave, a wind within the cave gave the answer, no.

 

[Jzero]

The writer is obviously disillusioned about phsyical acts of love.

 

[Turin39789]

seems to have a christian theme, not really sure
at first i thought the cave could mean jesus's tomb, and the garden(imperial crown, gallant flower) could be great britan

but the end part, a rev'rend good man(jesus) who lived of old, his flock increased, left 12 shafts of wheat(disciples) who spread and prospered in those who tasted it and fled from sin.

who knows the garden could still refer to england I guess, since the jesus figure grew his flock in salem, which would fit a flight from a garden taht seeemed great but a worm devoured(possibly the kings renunciation of catholocism and start of the kings church)

yea
whatever

what class is this for?

 

[chiwawa626]

Originally posted by: Azraele
Try going line by line and digging for the meaning. To start you off, the narrator is seeking peace. In the first part, he/she sought peace in a cave, and when he/she asked if peace could be found within the cave, a wind within the cave gave the answer, no.

I know that much but my question is what is the cave, the rainbow, and the garden he speaks about, who is the old man?

 

[bizmark]

I agree with Turin. It seems to be a Christian theme. Peace can only be found with Jesus, nowhere else.

It's got a strange rhyme scheme: ABACBC. I have no idea what the hell kind of rhyme scheme that is. It's pretty wild though. Who wrote the poem? That can tell us a lot about what they were trying to say.

 

[Azraele]

Perhaps he sought peace in nature (earth, worldly things, created by God, but not the path to God), but it is only through religion that peace can be obtained?

 

[Turin39789]

the secret cave and hollow wind reming me vaguely about some easter religion mentioned in a tom robbins book - definetly a sketchy connection, but an idea

seriously though who wrote it?

 

[bizmark]

seems to me that the rainbow may be a fake mystic type person, who seems beautiful at the first but then upon closer inspection is really so shallow as to not even exist.

and the flower is more of a substantial person, someone with a beautiful outside and a deep inside (roots), but who still doesn't have anything to offer when compared to God.

and the cave is the soul, the interior of the persona's Self. so it's: "first I looked in myself, then I looked in someone beautiful but without much substance, then I looked at someone beautiful who had some substance, but nowhere did I find true peace".

 

[Tom]

I would say that the writer is saying you won't find Peace in Earthly surroundings, but rather by leading a good life, a person won't find Peace in life, but will find Peace after death.

Just my thoughts about it.

 

[freakflag]

It means it's time to put down the poetry book and find a tight slice of Poonanie.

That would be my interpretation, anyway.

 

[Jfur]

It means you are supposed to accept the Gospel as everything else is impermanent.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
I would say that the writer is saying you won't find Peace in Earthly surroundings, but rather by leading a good life, a person won't find Peace in life, but will find Peace after death. Just my thoughts about it.

DPS has it closest, except, IMHO for the "Peace after death" part.

At first, the poem's peace pursuer looks for peace in several likely outward idyllic surroundings -- a secret cave, a rainbow, a garden -- but finds it not.

Then he meets a "rev'rend good old man" who tells him of "a Prince of old" :

"He sweetly liv'd; yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat:"

People who sample this "wheat" discover that this prince who "sweetly liv'd", that is, lived virtuously, did indeed have the secret of peace:

"That virtue lies therein,
A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sin."

"And Peace which ev'ry where
With so much earnestness you do pursue, [outwardly]
Is only there." [within yourself, when you live virtuously].


Edit: Let me clarify my one disagreement with DPS about the last part of his interpretation, that you only find peace after Death. I don't believe the poem says this. The "Prince" had peace during his life -- "A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth / By flight of sin." -- it is only others , always searching outwardly, who did not discover this until they tasted the fruits of his life through the imagery of the wheat that sprouted after his death.

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
I would say that the writer is saying<STRONG> you won't find Peace in Earthly surroundings, but rather by leading a good life</STRONG>, a person won't find Peace in life, but will find Peace after death. Just my thoughts about it.

<STRONG>DPS</STRONG> has it closest, except, IMHO for the "Peace after death" part.

At first, the poem's peace pursuer looks for peace in several likely <STRONG>outward</STRONG> idyllic surroundings -- a secret cave, a rainbow, a garden -- but finds it not.

Then he meets a "rev'rend good old man" who tells him of "a Prince of old" :

"<STRONG>He sweetly liv'd</STRONG>; yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat:"

People who sample this "wheat" discover that this prince who "sweetly liv'd", that is, lived virtuously, did indeed have the secret of peace:

"That virtue lies therein,
A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sin."

"And Peace which ev'ry where
With so much earnestness you do pursue, <STRONG>[outwardly]
</STRONG>Is only there." <STRONG>[within yourself, when you live virtuously].</STRONG>


<STRONG>Edit:</STRONG> Let me clarify my one disagreement with <STRONG>DPS</STRONG> about the last part of his interpretation, that you only find peace after Death. I don't believe the poem says this. The "Prince" had peace during his life -- "A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth / By flight of sin." -- it is only <STRONG>others</STRONG> , always searching outwardly, who did not discover this until they tasted the fruits of his life through the imagery of the wheat that sprouted after his death.

but the posters above were correct in assuming the prince is Jesus, aka "Prince of Peace". Upon his death he rose again, not just physically but the living Word was spread through the gospel to other people places (perhaps the 12 are his disciples). I am not agreeing with the author but I'm quite certain that's what he or she intended. The Rainbow is likely Joseph's Coat. The Cave could be where individuals go to seek God in the wilderness through meditation. it is also a place of refuge or a burial site.

 

[Jzero]

I think it also states that you won't just find peace by looking in symbols. I think the cave refers to Jesus, the rainbow to Noah and the flood, and the Garden to the garden of eden.

I think the rev'rend good old man is a minister and the prince he refers to is Jesus, the "prince of peace."
The 12 stalks represent the apostles spreading the gospel as far as they could.

You can find the grain in the rev'rend good old man's garden, but in order to find true peace, you need to make bread from the grain.

The "word" of God alone won't bring you peace. It's what you do with it that will.
It's a play on faith without works being nothing.

And disillusionment with the physical act of love. You can make any poem sexual.

 

[Perknose]

Well. OK, Jfur and Jzero, most of the imagery, expecially making bread (the communion host) out of the 12 stalks of wheat that grew after the Prince's death (the 12 apostles) strongly supports what you say.

The only wrong note:

"There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt"

There's no Salem in the holy land that I know of, and even the Gnostic gospels only get Jesus as far as India, not 17th century Massachusettes.

 

[Jfur]

chiwawa, tell us who wrote this, that will also shed light on the author's intent.

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: Perknose
Well. OK, <STRONG>Jfur </STRONG>and <STRONG>Jzero</STRONG>, most of the imagery, expecially making bread (the communion host) out of the 12 stalks of wheat that grew after the Prince's death (the 12 apostles) strongly supports what you say.

The only wrong note:

"There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt"

There's no Salem in the holy land that I know of, and even the Gnostic gospels only get Jesus as far as India, not 17th century Massachusettes.

Salem is another name for Jerusalem. I'm also guessing the author was a New Englander, as this sounds typical of Puritan Era religious literature (alothugh it could be English), so maybe they chose Salem to reflect both.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Perknose
Well. OK, <STRONG>Jfur </STRONG>and <STRONG>Jzero</STRONG>, most of the imagery, expecially making bread (the communion host) out of the 12 stalks of wheat that grew after the Prince's death (the 12 apostles) strongly supports what you say.

The only wrong note:

"There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt"

There's no Salem in the holy land that I know of, and even the Gnostic gospels only get Jesus as far as India, not 17th century Massachusettes.

Be it known then that Jerusalem was once called Salem some thousands of years ago, and, interestingly enough, the name means "peace."

So it seems to all tie together.

 

[ElFenix]

anything can be interpreted homosexually.

SWEET Peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And ask'd, if Peace were there.
A hollow wind did seem to answer, No:
Go seek elsewhere.

narrator isn't satisfied with a heterosexual lifestyle

I did; and going did a rainbow note:
Surely, thought I,
This is the lace of Peace's coat:
I will search out the matter.
But while I lookt, the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.

rainbow. c'mon, isn't it obvious?

Then went I to a garden, and did spy
A gallant flower,
The crown Imperial: Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell.
But when I digg'd, I saw a worm devour
What show'd so well.

gardening. ever see "as good as it gets"? greg kinnear had a garden in that.

At length I met a rev'rend good old man,
Whom when for Peace
I did demand; he thus began:
There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who liv'd with good increase
Of flock and fold.

old man is talking about a guy who got along with everyone... obviously looking back fondly at a former lover.

He sweetly liv'd; yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat:
Which many wondring at, got some of those
To plant and set.

was killed in a hate crime, but good came of it (obviously the author views hate-crime legislation favorably)

It prosper'd strangely, and did soon disperse
Through all the earth:
For they that taste it do rehearse,
That virtue lies therein,
A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sin.

no more hate crimes = no more sin, in this author's view.

Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you;
Make bread of it: and that repose
And Peace which ev'ry where
With so much earnestness you do pursue,
Is only there.

the fight against hate starts at home.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Jfur
chiwawa, tell us who wrote this, that will also shed light on the author's intent.

I believe this "poem" is excerpted verbatim from Ozzie Osboursne's earliest 'ouvre' -- specifically the "B" side of a 45 rpm vinyl release entitled "Bite My Crotch". wherein the "lyrics" have been recorded backwards at triple speed and interspersed with jackal wails and the ambient noise from a Tijuana strip bar.

Dissident discologists of uncertain provenance, however, vocally contend that it is, in fact, the sole acapella effort of the MC 5, released as a novelty item during the 1969 Christmas season.

Perhaps chiwawa can enlighten us after all.

 

[Perknose]

Jerusalem was once called Salem some thousands of years ago, and, interestingly enough, the name means "peace."

Jesus it was, then.

 

[ChangLi]

no matter where you are, there you are!
peace is where you find it!

 

[chiwawa626]

The poem is by george herbert and called peace. sorry for the late reply anyways....btw, this is for my english ap class....

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: chiwawa626
The poem is by george herbert and called peace. sorry for the late reply anyways....btw, this is for my english ap class....

that seals it, Herbert was an English priest known for his religious poetry -- take the ball and run chiwawa626