Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HOLIDAY, by WILFRID WILSON GIBSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HOLIDAY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Her hands are never quiet
Last Line: Polly. She's had her wish.


Persons:

EVA SPARK, a widow.
NELLY SPARK,
POLLY SPARK,
her daughters.
DANIEL WEBB, a navvy.

Scene: A room in tenements: evening. NELLY SPARK lies
unconscious on the bed with her eyes open and her
hands moving in a regular succession of mechanical
motions. Her mother sits by the bed sewing. POLLY
SPARK stands near the window looking out into the dingy court.

EVA. Her hands are never quiet.
POLLY. She's tending the machine;
And slipping in the brush-backs
As we do all day long.
Day after day, and every day,
Year in, year out, year in, year out,
Save Sunday and the holiday...
To think to-day's a holiday --
And what a holiday for her!
EVA. She cannot rest a moment.
Her hands are working, working...
It must be weary work, at best;
But now...
POLLY. And yet we do it,
Year in, year out, year in, year out,
Until it drives us dizzy,
And we, maybe, slip in a hand as she did --
Six holes it drills --
And then they call it carelessness!
EVA. Ay! that began the trouble --
Her poor hand!
It gives me quite a turn to think of it.
She's never been herself since.
It's hard she cannot rest.
POLLY. To think to-day's a holiday!
And last year she was dancing...
EVA. She's ever been a dancer,
From a baby:
Ay! even as a child-in-arms,
I could not keep her quiet,
If she but heard an organ;
And though 'twas half a street away,
'Twould take me all my time to hold her
From tumbling off my lap.
'Twas in her blood;
I danced before I married --
Though afterwards, God knows,
I'd little list for dancing --
And, in my day,
While I'd the heart for it,
I danced among the best.
When first your father saw me,
I was dancing.
POLLY. Last year, she danced the live-long day
She danced us all out easily,
Although the sun was blazing;
And we were fit to drop.
She would have danced herself to death;
But, some one stopped the music --
I think 'twas Daniel --
Even he was done,
Though he's not beaten easily.
EVA. He'd scarcely go to-day.
He said, he could not go without her.
I told him that 'twas worse than useless
For him to sit here, watching her.
I think he only went, at last,
Because he could not bear to see her hands.
It's bad enough for me...
I could not have him, too...
I cannot help but watch...
Her poor, poor hands!
They're never still a moment.
All night, I watched them working.
POLLY. And, last year, she was dancing --
Was dancing in the sun!
And there was none could dance with her --
Not one!
I never knew where she could pick the steps up:
There seemed to be no end to them,
As though she made them up as she went on.
They came to her, I fancy,
As trudging comes to us.
EVA. Ay! she'd a dancing heart.
POLLY. You scarcely saw her feet move,
Because they went so quickly:
It dazzled me to watch them.
And, as she danced so madly,
She waved a branch of hawthorn
That Daniel plucked for her.
EVA. That night when she came home
Her arms were full of blossom.
The room was white for days:
She'd scarcely left a pot or pan
For me to cook a meal in:
And, yet, I dared not toss it out.
The scent was nigh too much for me:
A hawthorn grew beside the door at home;
And, in the drenching rain,
It used to smell so fresh and sweet.
'Twill be there still ... but I...
And she was born about the blossom-time;
For I remember how I lay,
And dreamt that I could smell the hawthorn,
Though we had left the country then,
And I was far from any blowing thing.
And I can smell it now,
Though I've not seen a growing thorn for years.
POLLY. The smell of hawthorn, and the heat,
Together, turned me faint.
She did not seem to mind it;
But, danced, till I was dizzy --
Quite dizzy, watching her:
And, when I called to stop her,
She only laughed, and answered:
That she could dance for ever --
For ever in the sunshine,
Until she dropt down dead.
Then Daniel stopped the music,
Suddenly...
Her feet stopt with it:
And, she nearly tumbled:
But, Daniel caught her in his arms:
And she was dazed and quiet:
And scarcely spoke a word,
Till we were home in bed,
And I had blown the light out.
I did not take much notice at the time:
For I was half-asleep:
Yet, I remember every word,
As though she said them over, lying there:
"At least, I've danced a day away!
To-morrow, we'll be working --
To-morrow, and to-morrow,
Till we're dead.
And yet, to-day,
The job was nearly done:
If they'd not stopt the music,
I might have finished, dancing!"
EVA. Her hands are never quiet:
They're always working, working...
They move so quickly,
I can scarcely follow...
POLLY. She always worked like that:
Indeed, the only wonder is
She'd never slipt her hand before.
She worked as madly as she danced:
And she danced madly.
EVA. Ay ... she'll dance no more.
Poor Daniel, I'd no heart to tell him,
That there ... that there's no hope for her.
He never asked me what the doctor said:
I think he knew, somehow.
He'd scarcely go:
But, he ... he could not bear to see...
I cannot bear to watch them;
Yet, cannot keep my eyes off:
They're always working, working --
Poor broken hands!
And, once, they'd beat to music, on my breast,
When she was but a baby in my lap.
Would God, that time had never passed...
POLLY. To think they'll all be dancing.
While she ... she's lying...
EVA. Daniel went, poor lad;
But, he was loth to go;
And there'll be little dancing,
For him, to-day,
And many days to come.
He'll not stay late:
I looked for him, ere now.
POLLY. Ay! we are only "hands."
And, in the end...
I wonder if I'll lie like that, one day,
With useless fingers working...
God spare me!
But I think there's little chance.
I never worked, or danced, as she did.
She danced, and danced...
EVA. I smell the hawthorn now, as strongly
As we could smell it, after rain...
POLLY. There's some one on the stairs:
I think it's Dan.

[The door opens, gently; and DANIEL WEBB enters,
quietly, carrying a branch of hawthorn.]

DANIEL. How's Nelly, now?
I've brought some bloom for her.
I thought she might...
Last year, she liked the hawthorn:
A year to-day, she danced beneath the blossom...
I could not stay,
And see them jigging...
And yet I cannot bear to watch...
EVA [turning suddenly]. Her hands have stopt!
She's quiet now...
Ah, God!
She's getting up!
She'll fall...

[They all rush towards NELLY, as she rises from the
bed; but, something in her eyes stays them half-way;
and they stand, spell-bound, watching her, as she
steps to the floor; and moves towards DANIEL,
stretching out her hand for the haw-thorn, which he
gives to her without a word. Holding the br

NELLY. Faster ... faster ... fast...
Who's stopt the music?

[She pauses; stands a moment, dazed; then drops to the
floor in a heap.]

EVA [running towards her]. Ah, God!
She's done!
She does not breathe...

[They bend over her; and DANIEL picks up the dropt branch.]

DANIEL. It's fallen, now --
The bloom...
I thought she might...
Last year...
And now!
I brought the bloom...
EVA. Her hands stopt working,
When she smelt it.
It set her dancing ... dancing to her death.
DANIEL. Oh, Christ!
What have I done!
Nelly!
I brought the bloom...
POLLY. She's had her wish.





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