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. H. !a"rence*s Piano sho"s a man experiencing nostalgia as he listens to a "oman singing "hich reminds him of his childhood.

The poem starts "ith the man hearing the soft singing of a "oman "hich ta+es him on a mental ,o$rney do"n memory lane and he sees visions of his childhood flashing in front of him. The memory he foc$ses on is that of a small child "ho is sitting -eneath a grand piano as his mother plays it. ta+ing his mother*s elegant feet into his small hands and listening to the lo$d chords of m$sic. The man is rel$ctant to remem-er those days and -e affected -y them. -$t the song "hich the "oman is singing seems to have a slo" s$-tle impact on him and despite his hesitance he gives in to his emotions and yearns for the days of childhood: the cold S$nday evenings in "inter "hen it $sed to no" o$tside and they. mother and son $sed to sit in the "arm comforta-le indoors and sing melodio$s hymns "ith the help of the piano. The man "ho "as listening to the lady singing no" thin+s that it "o$ld -e $seless for her to contin$e on as he is already so affected -y his memories that he is ,$st physically present. his mind else"here. Witho$t any tho$ght of his ad$lthood. he -$rsts into tears remem-ering the -lissf$l ignorance and innocence of his infant years. He starts "eeping. th$s -ridging the gap -et"een his past and his present.

!a"rence $ses "ords in s$ch an intricate manner thro$gho$t the poem that they end $p creating vivid and delightf$l imagery. /y $sing the "ord 0vista* he propels the images of the reader*s o"n childhood in front of his eyes so that one experiences the same thing that man experienced. These images 0ta+e him -ac+ do"n* into the memories of his childhood. This immediately -rings to mind the image that gro"ing $p is similar to clim-ing some diffic$lt mo$ntain and in his ad$lthood. the man is right at the top. and from there he falls into his childhood again. 1nomatopoeia $sed in descri-ing the 0-oom* of the 0tingling* strings of the piano indicates that the man in the poem is none other -$t !a"rence himself. as the tiny detail that the piano "o$ld so$nd lo$d to a small child and conse2$ently "o$ld -e descri-ed as -ooming "hen later remem-ered even as an ad$lt is so simply portrayed and th$s removes all do$-ts that !a"rence is "riting from personal experience. 3$rther. the man remem-ers that his mother*s feet "ere 0poised* -etraying the respect and a"e a little child has for its parents. 4ven at that tender age. the child identifies dignified elegance "ith his other. The "ords 0in spite of myself* and 0-etrays me -ac+* sho" the immense str$ggle that the man goes thro$gh "ith his o"n "arring desires. The need to remain solidly footed in his ad$lthood and the yearning to give that $p for the innocence and ,oys of childhood tear him apart and he goes against his o"n desires -y giving in to the latter. Again the "ords $sed are so simple yet effective in descri-ing the evenings spent -y the fire that they paint a vivid image in the readers mind: one of comfort. "armth and $nlimited acceptance. This scene casts a melancholy shado" over the poem. as the man remem-ering these simple moments from his past s$ggest that he no longer has the comfort of a family or home to lean $pon. and that his life is riddled "ith diffic$lties and "orries for him to long for the d$ll and -oring adolescent years.

This poem achieves that delicate -alance -et"een -eing clich5. sentimental and -eing f$ll of self6pity; and expressing empathy. This is done -eca$se tho$gh the overvie" of the poem is simple and direct. there are some strong "ords "hich are sprin+led thro$gho$t "ith s$ch apt acc$racy that they intensify the po"erf$l feelings that a man experiences "hen he is torn -et"een his past and present lives. The title of the poem. 0Piano* is 2$ite s$iting as m$sic is proven to -e the strongest trigger of memories. Also it implies that playing the piano. and s$-se2$ently m$sic. played a large role in the man*s life: his mother $sed to play and sing hymns on the piano in his childhood. and even as an ad$lt he finds the time to escape the responsi-ilities for a fe" ho$rs -y attending m$sical concerts as the "oman singing and playing the piano co$ld -e seen as s$ch. The piano "as their g$ide in his childhood. and it still contin$es to sho" him the "ay thro$gh life. )ostalgia is the central idea -ehind the poem -$t one "o$ld not -e "rong to say that it also thro"s light on the pains of gro"ing $p. The man in the poem has traveled the road of life and has reached his ad$lthood. a phase of life "hich is associated "ith freedom of "ill and po"er of right. /$t he still contemplates giving all that $p; his heart 0"eeps to -elong* and his 0manhood is cast do"n a flood of remem-rance* as the 0glamor of childish days* overcomes him emotionally. He thro"s a"ay the confines of his 0manhood*. -rea+ing the $nspo+en r$le that men aren*t s$pposed to sho" emotions -y crying for his childhood. When does a person experience s$ch

contrasting emotions7 8t is only "hen the responsi-ilities and -$rdens of ad$lthood -ecome too m$ch to -ear that one starts "ishing that one co$ld someho" go -ac+ to one*s immat$re and ignorant days of -eing a child. free of "orries and still holding the limitless possi-ilities of gro"ing $p in its hand. head f$ll of $n-ro+en dreams and $ntarnished ideals and principles.

Th$s is 0Piano* another one of !a"rence*s masterpieces. as he once again portrays the complex "or+ings and dealings of the h$man heart in s$ch a refined. elegant yet simple manner that he p$lls at all the right heartstrings and one finds oneself tearing $p "hile remem-ering one*s o"n childhood days.

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Posted -y har::m on )ovem-er '(. ';99 in Analysis of Poems.

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Po"ered -y WordPress.comPiano : avid Her-ert !a"rence 6 S$mmary and #ritical Analysis

8n the evening there are t"o persons sitting in the room: a man and a "oman. The "oman is a pianist and singer. The man is the poet himself. The "oman is playing on the piano and singing at the same time. Her song ta+es the poet -ac+ to his early childhood. He s$pposes that he is a very small -a-y sitting $nder the piano. His mother is singing and he is pressing her feet. /$t she does not feel dist$r-ed -y her son*s -ehavior. She smiles at him and goes on playing. The poet +no"s that it is his romantic past. He "ants to live in the present facing the reality. /$t the "oman is very clever at singing. Her song is so s"eet and her playing is so s+ilf$l. The poet "ants to control himself. -$t he cannot. This time he goes -ac+ to his -oyhood. He s$pposes that he is in his "arm and comforta-le room. 8t is very cold o$tside. 8t is S$nday evening %holy day&. All his family mem-ers are there. They are singing hymns. The piano is g$iding them.

)o" the song has done its tas+. that is. to ta+e the poet -ac+ to the happy past. He does not li+e to listen to the m$sic. He "ants to -ecome lost in his happy memory. He li+es to forget the present completely. Therefore. he feels that the "oman*s song is the sho$t. Her m$sic is no longer s"eet. 8t is $seless for her to play the piano "ith deep feelings. He is very happy "ith his childhood memories. )o" he does not li+e to -ecome a man. He thro"s his manhood and -egins to cry li+e a child. This poem Piano is a-o$t a f$lly gro"n ad$lt recalling a-o$t the past. 8n this poem EpianoE serves as a metaphor of nostalgia. The poet may -e trying to say that the f$nction of m$sic is to release $s from the tyranny of conscio$s tho$ght. 4very man "hether he is old or yo$ng6 "ants to listen to m$sic reminds him of his happy memories of the past and ma+es him free form the tro$-le of the present.