Cecil Day Lewis - Poems by the Famous Poet - All Poetry

Famous poet /1904-1972

Cecil Day Lewis

Cecil Day Lewis was an Irish poet and writer, later Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom. He is most remembered today for his own lyric poetry, his detective fiction written under the pseudonym Nicholas Blake, and for being the father of actor Daniel Day-Lewis.

His early poetry, influenced by W. H. Auden, is marked by a strong left-wing political stance and the use of simple language and imagery. This made his work accessible to a wide audience, furthering his standing as one of the prominent poets of the 1930s. This period in English poetry is often referred to as the Auden generation. Like other poets of this era, Day Lewis explored themes of social justice, class struggle, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.

Later, Day Lewis's work shifted towards more personal and reflective themes, particularly as he took on the role of Poet Laureate in 1968. His later poetry demonstrates a deep engagement with nature, mythology, and the complexities of human relationships. His style evolved over time to incorporate more traditional forms and techniques, while still retaining the accessibility and directness that characterized his earlier work. He translated Virgil's Aeneid and wrote extensively on poetry, including an influential study of The Poetic Image.

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Come, live with me and be my love

Come, live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
Of peace and plenty, bed and board,
That chance employment may afford.

I’ll handle dainties on the docks
And thou shalt read of summer frocks:
At evening by the sour canals
We’ll hope to hear some madrigals.

Care on thy maiden brow shall put
A wreath of wrinkles, and thy foot
Be shod with pain: not silken dress
But toil shall tire thy loveliness.

Hunger shall make thy modest zone
And cheat fond death of all but bone –
If these delight thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love.

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Analysis (ai): The poem presents a stark and pragmatic view of love and domestic life. The speaker invites a potential lover to join them in a simple and humble existence. While the poem offers the allure of "peace and plenty," it also bluntly highlights the potential hardships that await them.

Compared to the poet's other works, this poem lacks the romantic idealism and lyrical flourish found in many of his other love poems. It is a more grounded and realistic portrayal of domestic life.

Within the context of its time period, the poem reflects the economic and social realities of the early 20th century. It speaks to the challenges faced by working-class couples, who often had to sacrifice comfort and luxury for basic necessities. The poem's portrayal of toil and hardship aligns with the broader societal focus on economic survival during that era.
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Where Are The War Poets ?

They who in folly or mere greed
Enslaved religion, markets, laws,
Borrow our language now and bid
Us to speak up in freedom’s cause.

It is the logic of our times,
No subject for immortal verse –
That we who lived by honest dreams
Defend the bad against the worse.
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Analysis (ai): "Where Are the War Poets?" critiques the exploitation of language by those seeking to manipulate or justify war. The poem highlights the contrast between the honest ideals of poets and the dishonest motives of those in power. Unlike traditional war poetry, which often glorifies conflict, this poem questions the language used to justify war, exposing its hollowness. The poem's concise language and simple structure emphasize its message, while its historical context during the rise of fascism adds to its relevance and critique of propaganda.
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A Hard Frost

A frost came in the night and stole my world
And left this changeling for it - a precocious
Image of spring, too brilliant to be true:
White lilac on the window-pane, each grass-blade
Furred like a catkin, maydrift loading the hedge.
The elms behind the house are elms no longer
But blossomers in crystal, stems of the mist
That hangs yet in the valley below, amorphous
As the blind tissue whence creation formed.

The sun looks out and the fields blaze with diamonds
Mockery spring, to lend this bridal gear
For a few hours to a raw country maid,
Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings
Of aconite and snowdrop! No, not here
Amid this flounce and filigree of death
Is the real transformation scene in progress,
But deep below where frost
Worrying the stiff clods unclenches their
Grip on the seed and lets
the future breathe.
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Analysis (ai): This poem presents a deceptive scene of winter splendor, contrasting it with the reality of the season. The initial description of a frost stealing the world and leaving a "precocious image of spring" sets up a juxtaposition between the apparent beauty and the underlying harshness.

The second stanza introduces the concept of transformation, with elms transformed into "blossomers in crystal" and the amorphous mist becoming the "blind tissue whence creation formed." This suggests a cycle of rebirth and renewal, despite the winter's appearance.

The sun's appearance highlights the deceptive nature of the scene, with fields "blaze[ing] with diamonds" in a "mockery spring." The bride-like imagery used for the landscape emphasizes the transience of this beauty.

The poem culminates in a shift from the surface appearance to the hidden reality. The "real transformation scene" occurs not in the visible changes of nature but in the unseen processes below, where frost unclenches the grip on seeds, allowing for future growth.

This poem differs from Lewis's other nature poems by focusing on the underlying reality beneath the surface beauty. It reflects the post-World War II era's disillusionment with appearances, emphasizing the hidden forces that shape the world and the resilience of nature amidst adversity.
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