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 foot 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 cozy 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.
Understanding “Piano”
“Piano,” written by D.H. Lawrence and first published in 1914 as part of his collection Love Poems and Others, is a remarkably poignant poem that explores how music can unlock deeply buried memories. The poem centers on a man listening to a woman sing and play the piano, and how that simple act transports him back to his childhood. It is a delicate exploration of nostalgia, the enduring bond between mother and child, and the bittersweet ache of longing for a past that is irrevocably gone. At its heart, “Piano” is not just about a musical performance; it is a journey into the landscape of memory itself.
Central Idea and Key Themes
The central idea of “Piano” revolves around the evocative power of music and its ability to trigger intense emotional recall. Lawrence masterfully demonstrates how a seemingly insignificant stimulus – a song played on the piano – can unlock a flood of memories and emotions, effectively collapsing the boundaries between past and present.
Several key themes resonate throughout the poem:
- The Power of Memory: The poem beautifully illustrates how memories are not static recordings of the past but are actively re‑experienced, shaping our present emotions and understanding.
- Nostalgia and Longing: There is a deep sense of longing for the innocence and security of childhood, especially for the comfort and love associated with the speaker’s mother.
- The Mother-Child Bond: The poem emphasizes the profound and enduring connection between mother and child, and how early experiences shape our emotional lives.
- Loss and the Irretrievability of the Past: The speaker’s tears reveal a sense of loss – not of a person, but of a time, a feeling, and a state of being that can never be recovered.
In-Depth Analysis of “Piano”
Stanza One: Establishing the Memory Trigger
The poem begins in medias res – in the midst of the experience. “Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me…” The gentle setting immediately creates a mood of intimacy and introspection. The singer isn’t simply performing; she’s directly addressing the speaker, establishing a personal connection. More importantly, the song acts as a catalyst, “Taking me back down the vista of years.” Lawrence uses the metaphor of a vista to suggest a vast, unfolding landscape of memory. The speaker is not consciously seeking the past; it is being revealed to him.
The imagery then shifts to a specific childhood scene: “A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings.” The sounds of the piano are not merely background noise; they are an integral part of the memory, physically vibrating through the child’s body. The detail of “pressing the small, poised foot of a mother who smiles as she sings” is particularly striking. It is a small, intimate gesture that encapsulates the warmth and security of the mother‑child bond. The poised foot suggests grace and contentment, highlighting the idyllic nature of the remembered scene.
Stanza Two: The Insidious Power of Song
The second stanza delves deeper into the speaker’s emotional response. The words “insidious” and “betrays” suggest a conflict within the speaker. He does not consciously want to be transported back to the past, yet the music has an irresistible power over him. It feels as if his defenses are being overwhelmed. The “mastery of song” implies that music can bypass our rational minds and directly touch our emotions.
The lines “Till the heart of me weeps to belong to the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside, and hymns in the cozy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide” suggest that the speaker’s tears are not of sorrow but of longing. He yearns for the simplicity and comfort of his childhood. The imagery of winter outside and a cozy parlour creates a strong sense of domestic warmth and security. The tinkling piano is not just an instrument; it is a guiding force, a symbol of home and family.
Stanza Three: Surrender to Remembrance
The final stanza marks a complete surrender to the power of memory. “So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour with the great black piano appassionato.” The singer’s present performance is irrelevant; it cannot compete with the intensity of the speaker’s childhood memories. The contrast between the great black piano, appassionato, and the tinkling piano of his childhood underscores the difference between a public performance and a deeply personal experience.
The glamour of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast down in the flood of remembrance, and I weep like a child for the past. The glamour of childhood is not about perfection; it is about wonder, innocence, and unconditional love. The metaphor that the speaker’s adult identity is momentarily overwhelmed by his childhood memories shows how deeply he has been touched by that time. The line “I weep like a child for the past” encapsulates the poem’s central theme – the enduring power of memory and the bittersweet ache of longing for what once was.
Literary and Poetic Devices
- Imagery: Lawrence uses vivid imagery throughout the poem to create a strong sensory experience for the reader. Examples include “softly, in the dusk,” “tingling strings,” “cozy parlour,” and “winter outside.”
- Metaphor: The poem is rich in metaphorical language. “The vista of years” is a metaphor for the unfolding landscape of memory, and “the flood of remembrance” is a metaphor for the overwhelming power of the past.
- Symbolism: The piano itself is a symbol of home, family, and the enduring power of memory. The tinkling piano of childhood contrasts with the great black piano, appassionato, of the present, symbolizing the difference between private and public experience.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds creates a musical quality in the poem. For example, the repetition of the /i/ sound in “in the dusk” and “tingling.”
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds, such as the /s/ sound in “softly,” “singing,” and “songs,” contributes to the poem’s musicality.
- Caesura: Pauses within lines, often marked by punctuation, create a sense of rhythm and emphasis.
- Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next creates a sense of fluidity and momentum.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme in each stanza, contributing to its musicality and creating a sense of closure.
A Poem to Remember
“Piano” is a testament to the enduring power of memory and the profound influence of childhood experiences. Lawrence’s masterful use of imagery, metaphor, and sound creates a deeply moving and resonant poem that continues to captivate readers today. It is a poem about loss, longing, and the bittersweet ache of remembering a past that is forever out of reach.