After

Analysis and Literary Devices

Philip Bourke Marston

1. What is the poem “After” about?
2. What is the theme of the poem “After”?
3. What is the structure of the poem “After”?
4. Line-by-Line Analysis of the poem “After”

What is the poem “After” about?

One of the most striking features of the blind poet, Philip Marston’s, melancholic and lyrical poems is his consistent contemplation of death. Death had taken away from Philip Marston not only love, hope, and his most treasured friendships, but also brought upon him a deep mental darkness that surpassed even the physical darkness in which he resided. The poem “After” emphasizes the brevity of life and offers a nuanced and contemplative exploration of the complexities of time and its impact on our lives.

What is the theme of the poem “After“?

Transience:

The poem reflects on the brevity of moments and the fleeting nature of love and associated emotions. It emphasizes the limited time given for various actions and emotions, such as speaking heartfelt words, seeking closeness, and praying.

Loss and Desolation

The theme of loss permeates the poem, with the speaker expressing deep grief and desolation caused by the absence of love. There is a sense of profound sadness and emotional emptiness conveyed throughout the poem, particularly in the final stanza where the speaker contemplates an enduring sorrow.

Time and Mortality

The poem contemplates the passage of time and its impact on love and human experiences. It underscores the limited duration of joy, affection, and intimacy, contrasting it with the enduring nature of grief and sorrow. The idea of eternity in the final stanza suggests the lasting impact of lost love beyond the temporal realm.

What is the structure of the poem “After“?

The poem has six stanzas of four lines. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABBA, which means the first and the last lines of each stanza rhyme with each other, as do the second and the third lines. The poem does not adhere to a specific meter or consistent syllable count per line. However, it exhibits a generally rhythmic and lyrical quality with the use of regular stressed and unstressed syllables.

Line-by-Line Analysis of the poem “After“

A little time for laughter,
A little time to sing,
A little time to kiss and cling,
And no more kissing after.

• Enjambment – As the sentence continues across lines, it creates the effect of time passing.
• Repetition – “A little time”. The repetition of the phrase is a constant reminder of the brevity of life.

The first stanza expresses the idea that we are alive only for a brief moment therefore we must experience as much happiness as we can in this short period. Love is fleeting just as happiness is temporary. The wonderful experiences of laughing, singing, kissing, and clinging will be followed by a sense of loss or absence. The phrase “no more” emphasizes the fleeting nature of love and happiness and highlights the sense of finality with the passage of time.

A little while for scheming
Love's unperfected schemes;
A little time for golden dreams,
Then no more any dreaming.

schemes – plans and ideas

“A little while” and “A little time” reinforce the transient nature of love, happiness

scheme/scheming, and dream/dreaming – the present participle suggests that the activities are ongoing but temporary.

The second stanza continues to explore the theme of the transience of love and the inevitability of loss, and sorrow. The phrase “unperfected schemes” suggests that love is often idealized, hence the ideas and fantasies are often unrealistic. The word “schemes” has a pejorative tone and can also suggest trickery or deception in that love tricks us with empty promises and fleeting pleasures. The phrase “golden dreams” suggests that the hope of a happy life is only an illusion.

A little while 'twas given
To me to have thy love;
Now, like a ghost, alone I move
About a ruined heaven.

• Simile – speaker compares himself to a ghost to emphasize the loneliness
• Imagery – like a ghost, alone I move / About a ruined heaven.
• “thy love” creates a sense of intimacy

The tone and the theme of loss, despair, and transience suggest that the speaker is the poet Marston himself. The poet in the third stanza reflects on the brief period of time he had to love his beloved. The stanza repeats the phrase “A little while” which suggests that it was a blessed time though it was transient. The image of a “ghost” wandering through a “ruined heaven” creates a sense of desolation and emptiness suggesting that love can lead to feelings of loss and isolation. The juxtaposition of “ruined” and “heaven” creates a sense of contrast as heaven is associated with eternal happiness while ruined suggests decay and imperfection. The poet’s heaven of happiness has been destroyed by the death of his beloved which has ruined his emotional well-being.

A little time for speaking
Things sweet to say and hear;
A time to seek, and find thee near,
Then no more any seeking.

• Repetition – “A little time”. The repetition of the phrase suggests the fleeting nature of experiences.
• Sibilance – repetition of the “s” sound in speaking, sweet, say, seek, seeking. it creates a soft melancholic note adding to the musicality of the stanza.

The fourth stanza reflects on the poet’s fleeting moment of togetherness with his beloved. The phrase “A little time” implies the brevity of time for expressing affectionate words and hearing them.  The phrase “things sweet to say and hear” suggests that the speaker and his beloved had a deep emotional connection and that their time together was filled with love and tenderness. The next line, “a time to seek, and find thee near,” suggests that the speaker actively sought out the opportunity to experience the closeness of his beloved. However, the final line, “then no more any seeking,” suggests that the death of the speaker’s beloved and thus to seek her out, leaving him with a sense of loss and despair.

A little time for saying
Words the heart breaks to say;
A short sharp time wherein to pray,
Then no more need of praying;

• Repetition – “A little time” emphasizes the theme of transience and connects it to the other stanzas thematically.
• Alliteration – short sharp

The fifth stanza is again a reflection on the limited time the speaker had to express their love and affection to their beloved. The speaker had only a brief moment to articulate profound and intense emotions. The line “Words the heart breaks to say” suggests that the speaker’s sentiments were so intense that to express them in words was painful. The next line, “A short sharp time wherein to pray,” means that the speaker had a brief and intense moment to pray for their beloved. This shows that it was essential for the speaker to seek divine intervention for their beloved. Finally, the line “Then no more need of praying” is indicative of the speaker’s acceptance of their beloved’s passing with a sense of resignation.

But long, long years to weep in,
And comprehend the whole
Great grief that desolates the soul,
And eternity to sleep in.

• Repetition – “long” emphasizes the duration of the grieving period.

The final stanza reflects on the aftermath of the loss of the beloved and the sorrow that entails the loss. The poet acknowledges that there will be an extended period of time symbolized by “long long years” as he mourns and come to terms with the loss. The line “Great grief that desolates the soul”  emphasizes the magnitude of the pain the speaker feels and suggests that the healing process will be long and difficult. The final line, “And eternity to sleep in,” is a metaphorical reference to death. The eternal rest may bring the final closure that the speaker seeks.