"PIANO" by D. H. LAWRENCE , Short summary and analysis.

 

"PIANO"

BY

D. H. LAWRENCE

 

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.

About Poet

 D. H. LAWRENCE

•        David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist. His modernist works reflect on modernity, social alienation and industrialization.

•        His best-known novels—Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love, and Lady Chatterley's Lover—

•        Lawrence wrote almost 800 poems. His first poems were written in 1904 and two of his poems, "Dreams Old" and "Dreams Nascent", were among his earliest published works in The English Review.

 Short summary and analysis

 

"Piano" by D.H. Lawrence is a reflective and nostalgic poem where the speaker recalls his childhood memories triggered by the sound of a woman singing and playing the piano. The poem is structured in three quatrains, and it takes the reader on a journey through the speaker’s recollections of his childhood.

The poet begins the poem describing a woman singing softly in the dusk, which transports him back to his childhood. He remembers sitting under the piano while his mother played, feeling the vibrations of the piano strings and the warmth of her presence.

As the poem develops the poet explains about  the song which evoked  a deep emotional response, causing the speaker to yearn for the past. He reminisces about the cozy Sunday evenings spent at home, with his family gathered around the piano, singing hymns while winter raged outside.

Concluding the poem the poet opines and feels that despite the present moment, the memory overwhelms him, and the powerful emotions tied to his past resurface.  Throughout the poem the speaker is overtaken by a flood of nostalgia, and he weeps like a child for the lost days of his youth.

The poem's emotional impact lies in its ability to resonate with readers' own experiences of nostalgia and the bittersweet nature of remembering the past. The universal themes of childhood, family, and the passage of time make the poem relatable and poignant.

• The tone of the poem is melancholic and nostalgic. The speaker’s reflections on the past are tinged with sadness and longing. The mood is reflective and emotional, as the speaker is overwhelmed by the power of his memories.

 

                                        

Themes:

1. Nostalgia and Memory: The poem is centered on the theme of nostalgia, as the speaker is transported back to his childhood by the sound of the piano. The vivid recollection of past experiences highlights the deep emotional connection between memory and music.
2. The Passage of Time: The poem reflects on the inevitable passage of time and the bittersweet nature of reminiscing about the past. The speaker’s longing for the simplicity and comfort of childhood contrasts with his current state of adulthood.
3. The Power of Music: Music serves as a powerful trigger for memories and emotions. The piano's music brings back specific and intimate memories of the speaker’s mother and the warmth of family life.