Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Weather-Prophet; A Fable" by Christopher Pearse Cranch is a playful narrative that delves into the realm of human hubris and the pretension to predict, control, or understand nature. In the context of its title as a "fable," the poem sets forth a lesson or moral, just as classical fables do.

The poem opens with a weather philosopher mulling over the inconsistency in his meteorological observations, pondering whether it could be due to a celestial body like the sun, moon, or a comet. He feels uneasy as his predictions and readings don't align with the apparent weather conditions. Cranch employs whimsical phrases and creates a scientist figure overly consumed with his work, so much so that the townspeople have set up a mini kitchen under his study, as "food was a trifle for one who could prophesy."

As for its structure, the poem employs varying rhyme schemes and meter, not adhering to a consistent pattern. This disorganized structure reflects the unpredictable and chaotic subject-weather-that the philosopher is trying to grasp. The irregularities in the poem's structure become part of the comic effect. For instance, Cranch deliberately points out his failure to rhyme in the lines "These are not rhymes -- I am fully aware of it." This meta-commentary adds humor and self-awareness, contributing to the poem's light tone.

Interestingly, the actual reason behind the weather change is comedic and mundane-his housekeeper Bridget is cooking below his study, generating heat that alters his observations. The philosopher, oblivious to this practical cause, continues to hypothesize grand theories.

The poem's style is narrative and it employs dialogues and inner thoughts to bring the characters to life. Phrases like "wind blowing northerly," "Roughened the tops of the ocean waves frothily," or "Weather, in short, most decidedly tropical," not only add a scientific flair but also bring vivid imagery into the narrative, making the poem both a visual and intellectual treat.

The fable ends with a moral, a classic touchstone of the fable genre, commenting on the "insanity" of prophets and "man's measureless vanity." The moral serves as a warning against human arrogance and the assumption that one's own experiences or expertise can perfectly encapsulate a phenomenon as complex and variable as weather-or life itself. In doing so, it reiterates the folly of thinking that "his own mood is the mind of humanity."

Cranch's "The Weather-Prophet; A Fable" thus offers an amusing yet insightful critique of human arrogance, especially in the realm of science and prediction. The poem's structure and style contribute to its thematic depth, making it a rich text both in terms of its narrative and its moral wisdom.

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