745 - My Life had stood - A Loaded Gun
My Life had stood — a Loaded Gun --
In Corners — till a Day The Owner passed — identified -- And carried Me away -- And now We roam in Sovereign Woods -- And now We hunt the Doe -- And every time I speak for Him -- The Mountains straight reply -- And do I smile, such cordial light Upon the Valley glow -- It is as a Vesuvian face Had let its pleasure through -- And when at Night — Our good Day done -- I guard My Master's Head -- 'Tis better than the Eider-Duck's Deep Pillow — to have shared -- To foe of His — I'm deadly foe -- None stir the second time -- On whom I lay a Yellow Eye -- Or an emphatic Thumb -- Though I than He — may longer live He longer must — than I -- For I have but the power to kill, Without — the power to die — |
Analysis The first line describes the narrator as a ‘Loaded Gun’. The capitalisation here adds to the weight and heaviness of the words and tone. There is a sense of danger and anticipation. It lies somewhere, unused, until someone notices it and ‘carried me away’. This gives the reader the impression that the gun has no control; it is there to be used at the whim of another.
In the second stanza, ‘every time I speak for Him’ refers to each time the gun fires. It suggests that power lies in the gun, yet despite this it has no control. Repetition of ‘And now’ (anaphora) creates a sense of inevitability and time passing. Third stanza: describes what happens when the gun fires. Light, smoke, heat and sound are released, all of which are forms of energy. This again reinforces the reader’s impression of the power the gun holds. The reference to Vesuvius implies danger, while the fact that it had ‘let its pleasure through means that it is finally fulfilling its purpose. An image is then created of the gun under a pillow. The second line of this stanza implies that the gun’s greatest role is protection. The capitalisation of ‘Master’ gives its owner an elevated status. The Master has not spoken throughout the poem, giving him a silent authority. The last two lines of this stanza suggest that it is a privilege to have this role, as it is better than to have shared the ‘Eider-Duck’s/Deep Pillow’. The fifth stanza simply says that the gun is the enemy of its owner’s enemy, again giving it power, and those who are shot, die. The last stanza holds something of a sad tone. While the gun may live longer, it is the Master who should live longer as it is he who has the ability to give the gun power. This is a running theme throughout the poem: the gun holds no true power unless there is someone actually using it. There is also constant tension between violence and the relief of being used. |