Edwin Arlington Robinson's Luke Havergal

Please forgive my accent related problems. I really love Robinson and his peoms. He is my idol. I tried my best to recite - if it could called be a recitation! Don't know how you all will take it! I'm grateful to Vladimir Cosma for his pan flute melody 'La Chevre'.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Sudin

[sudinz]

Thanks for your question. I am not sure whether it's Death/The Grim Reaper. I think it could be poet's second self - if that make sense - or Luke's subconscious thought.

[penelopegreene]

this is one of the most underrated poems in the english language, with all the power of a. e. houseman's best lyrics...but reductionism is a problem. mr. havergal's condition is the universal one and we are ALL him. the SHE is ALL we ever desired and lost, or never achieved. and we are all also the narrator, speaking to ourselves and each other, when the last of our alibis and pride and defenses are overthrown.

[Areian79]

I really love this poem!

I too thought maybe the persona was Luke's subconscious but the lines where the persona refers to him/herself as coming from the grave made me think it's something haunting Luke.

But i guess it could be Luke's memories of the woman hauting him.

[NECROPHYTE]

So who's the narrator in the poem? Death/The Grim Reaper? I think that Death is trying to help Luke Havergal accept his mortality and die. In doing so, he will be reunited with his dead love.

What do you think Sudinz?