Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Luke Havergal" is a poem written in 1897 by Edwin Arlington Robinson that explores the theme of death and the afterlife. The poem is written from the perspective of Luke Havergal, who has died and is now speaking to a friend or loved one who is still alive.

The poem is structured in six stanzas of varying length and follows a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme. The first stanza establishes the speaker's identity and situation, stating that Luke Havergal is dead and that he is now speaking to someone who is still alive. The second stanza explores Luke's feelings of regret and sadness at having to leave his earthly life behind, expressing his desire to stay alive and continue living.

The third and fourth stanzas shift to a more philosophical and metaphysical tone, as Luke contemplates the nature of life and death, and wonders about the afterlife. He expresses his hope that he will find peace and happiness in the next world, and that he will be reunited with loved ones who have passed away before him.

The fifth stanza returns to Luke's feelings of sadness and regret at having to leave behind his earthly life, and expresses his desire to return to the world of the living. However, he acknowledges that this is impossible, and instead asks his friend or loved one to remember him and to keep his memory alive.

The final stanza of the poem is the most striking and memorable, as Luke implores his friend or loved one to remember him not as he was in life, but as he is now, in death. He suggests that death has brought him a greater understanding and appreciation of life, and that he now sees the world in a new and different way. He asks his friend or loved one to join him in this perspective, and to embrace life and love with the same passion and intensity that he now feels in death.

Overall, "Luke Havergal" is a haunting and poignant meditation on death, the afterlife, and the nature of existence. The poem suggests that death is not an end, but rather a transition to a new and different kind of life, and that those who have passed away continue to exist in some form beyond the confines of the physical world.

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