Piano

-          David Herbert  Lawrence, England (1885-1930)

I. Literal Comprehension

            Context: This poem is written by D. H. Lawrence, England (1885-1930), one of the most prominent twentieth century English poets.

            It is dusk. A young woman is playing the piano and singing softly to impress the speaker. But this romantic situation reminds the speaker of his past. He remembers his mother playing the piano, singing and smiling while he sat at her small feet pressing them. When the song reminds the speaker of family get together that occurred every Sunday evening during the winter and the hymns they sang together in a comfortable sitting room of the house, he forgets that he is a grown up man at present. He weeps like a small child. The singer’s effort for impressing him with her skill to play the piano and her melodious voice is of no use. 

II. Interpretation

            The poem might be trying to throw light on the pains of growing up. The man in the poem is an adult, but his heart ‘weeps to belong’ to his childhood days. His ‘manhood is cast down a flood of remembrance’ as he is overwhelmed by the ‘glamor of childish days’. Then, he forgets his manhood and weeps ‘like a child’. In fact, the speaker seems to have had his adulthood too much to tolerate. Therefore, he is nostalgic in tone. He wants to be a child again. He remembers his mother singing, playing the piano, and smiling at him. He remembers the warm and comfortable sitting room of his house where every Sunday evening the family members gathered and sang hymns together with the piano’s music.

III. Critical Thinking

            Though it is a beautiful poem, it is not clear who the ‘woman’ mentioned in it is. Is she an elderly woman of his mother’s age or his girlfriend? If she is of his mother’s age, why is she trying to impress him?  If she is his girlfriend, why does he remember his mother listening to her song, and cries at last? Why does he crave for his childhood days when there is a beautiful young woman singing in front of him in such a romantic situation, i. e. only the two, the speaker and the woman, are in a room, and the time is the dusk? 

IV. Assimilation

            The poem reminded me of my childhood days. I also think I enjoyed my childhood days better than adulthood days I am having at present. And I also felt nostalgic to my lost and forever irrevocable childhood days.