Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Water Song" by Solomon Ibn Gabirol is a satirical lament about the absence of wine at a feast, a celebration that has been reduced to a joyless affair due to the overwhelming presence of water. The poem vividly expresses the poet's disappointment and frustration, using water as a symbol of dullness and lifelessness, in contrast to the vibrancy and pleasure associated with wine.

The poem opens with the speaker noting that the feast has begun, but the wine has run out: "The Feast's begun / And the Wine is done, / So my sad tears run / Like streams of water, streams of water." This sets the tone for the entire poem, where the absence of wine—a symbol of joy, celebration, and life—is replaced by water, which here represents monotony and sorrow. The comparison of tears to "streams of water" reinforces the speaker's profound disappointment, suggesting that the lack of wine has drained the life out of the celebration.

The poem continues with the speaker reflecting on the dominance of water at the feast: "Three score and ten were Wine's bold braves, / But a full score more were Water's knaves." Here, Ibn Gabirol uses military imagery to contrast the boldness of wine with the servility of water. Wine is associated with bravery and vitality, while water is depicted as a mere "knave," subservient and unworthy. The "silent watery graves" further emphasize the idea that water brings a lifeless, death-like quality to the feast.

The speaker's frustration is palpable as he laments the lack of joy and merriment: "Around the board you see no smile; / Untasted dishes rest in file." The absence of wine has left the participants disinterested in the food and unable to enjoy the feast. The speaker's cup, filled to the brim with "hated Water," becomes a symbol of his discontent. The use of the word "hated" underscores the depth of the speaker's disdain for water, which he sees as a poor substitute for wine.

In a playful twist, the speaker invokes the biblical figure of Moses, who famously parted the Red Sea and dried up Egypt's streams: "Old Moses chid the Red Sea tide, / And Egypt's dusky streams he dried, / Till Pharaoh's fools for Water cried!" The speaker humorously suggests that Moses, who once controlled the waters, is now responsible for turning everything into water at this feast. The irony here is that, whereas Moses' miracles were meant to save and liberate, the speaker feels imprisoned by the abundance of water.

The poem reaches its climax as the speaker compares himself to a frog, an amphibious creature that thrives in water but is associated with dreariness and monotony: "Can I myself to aught compare? / To the frog who damp in watery lair, / With dismal croakings fills the air." The comparison highlights the speaker's sense of being trapped in a joyless, waterlogged existence. The frog, like the speaker, can only "sing or cry" the "song of Water," a dirge for the lost pleasures of wine.

In the final stanza, the speaker sarcastically suggests that those who enjoy water may as well become Nazirites—individuals who take a vow of abstention from wine and other pleasures: "The man whom water can delight / For aught I care may turn Nazirite; / Total abstention shall be his plight!" The speaker clearly sees such a life as devoid of joy and pleasure, a fate he would not wish upon himself.

"Water Song" ends where it began, with the feast over and no wine to be found: "The Feast is done, / And Wine there's none; / So my sad tears run / Like streams of Water, streams of Water." The repetition of this refrain brings the poem full circle, reinforcing the speaker's sense of loss and unfulfilled desire. The imagery of tears running like water encapsulates the poem's central theme: the stark contrast between the life-giving, joyful nature of wine and the dull, lifeless presence of water.

In this poem, Ibn Gabirol masterfully uses humor, irony, and vivid imagery to express a deeper lament for the loss of joy and vitality in life. The poem's playful tone and clever use of biblical allusions add depth to its exploration of the human desire for pleasure and the disillusionment that comes when it is denied.

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