POEM 12
Wilfrid Wilson Gibson – The Stone
“And will you cut a stone for him,
To set above his head?
And will you cut a stone for him—
A stone for him?” she said.
Three days before, a splintered rock
Had struck her lover dead—
Had struck him in the quarry dead,
Where, careless of a warning call,
He loitered, while the shot was fired—
A lively stripling, brave and tall,
And sure of all his heart desired . . .
A flash, a shock,
A rumbling fall . . .
And, broken ‘neath the broken rock,
A lifeless heap, with face of clay,
And still as any stone he lay,
With eyes that saw the end of all.
I went to break the news to her:
And I could hear my own heart beat
With dread of what my lips might say;
But some poor fool had sped before;
And, flinging wide her father’s door,
Had blurted out the news to her,
Had struck her lover dead for her,
Had struck the girl’s heart dead in her,
Had struck life, lifeless, at a word,
And dropped it at her feet:
Then hurried on his witless way,
Scarce knowing she had heard.
And when I came, she stood alone—
A woman, turned to stone:
And, though no word at all she said,
I knew that all was known.
Because her heart was dead,
She did not sigh nor moan.
His mother wept:
She could not weep.
Her lover slept:
She could not sleep.
Three days, three nights,
She did not stir:
Three days, three nights,
Were one to her,
Who never closed her eyes
From sunset to sunrise,
From dawn to evenfall—
Her tearless, staring eyes,
That, seeing naught, saw all.
The fourth night when I came from work,
I found her at my door.
“And will you cut a stone for him?”
She said: and spoke no more:
But followed me, as I went in,
And sank upon a chair;
And fixed her grey eyes on my face,
With still, unseeing stare.
And, as she waited patiently,
I could not bear to feel
Those still, grey eyes that followed me,
Those eyes that plucked the heart from me,
Those eyes that sucked the breath from me
And curdled the warm blood in me,
Those eyes that cut me to the bone,
And cut my marrow like cold steel.
And so I rose and sought a stone;
And cut it smooth and square:
And, as I worked, she sat and watched,
Beside me, in her chair.
Night after night, by candlelight,
I cut her lover’s name:
Night after night, so still and white,
And like a ghost she came;
And sat beside me, in her chair,
And watched with eyes aflame.
She eyed each stroke,
And hardly stirred:
she never spoke
A single word:
And not a sound or murmur broke
The quiet, save the mallet stroke.
With still eyes ever on my hands,
With eyes that seemed to burn my hands,
My wincing, overwearied hands,
She watched, with bloodless lips apart,
And silent, indrawn breath:
And every stroke my chisel cut,
Death cut still deeper in her heart:
The two of us were chiselling,
Together, I and Death.
And when at length my job was done,
And I had laid the mallet by,
As if, at last, her peace were won,
She breathed his name, and, with a sigh,
Passed slowly through the open door:
And never crossed my threshold more.
Next night I laboured late, alone,
To cut her name upon the stone.
Literary Analysis of Wilfrid Wilson Gibson’s “The Stone”
Wilfrid Wilson Gibson’s poem “The Stone” is a powerful exploration of grief, loss, and the permanence of death. The poem uses stark imagery, repetition, and a haunting narrative to convey the emotional devastation experienced by a woman who loses her lover in a tragic accident. The act of carving a memorial stone becomes a metaphor for the indelible impact of death on the living.
Theme
The primary themes of the poem are grief, loss, and the inevitability of death. The poem explores how the death of a loved one can turn a person to stone, both literally and metaphorically, as they become emotionally paralyzed by their grief. The stone, both as a physical object and a symbol, represents the finality of death and the permanence of the emotional scars it leaves behind.
Structure and Form
“The Stone” is written in a narrative style, with a clear progression from the tragic accident to the aftermath and the process of memorializing the deceased. The poem is composed in quatrains with a loose rhyme scheme that varies throughout, creating a somber and reflective tone. The irregular meter mirrors the disrupted emotional state of the characters, particularly the woman who has lost her lover.
Tone
The tone of the poem is somber and melancholic, reflecting the deep sorrow and despair of the characters. The speaker’s tone is one of empathy and dread as he recounts the tragic event and its impact on the woman. The repetition of certain phrases and the detailed description of the woman’s reaction emphasize the overwhelming nature of her grief.
Language and Diction
Gibson employs simple, yet evocative language to convey the emotional weight of the poem. The diction is straightforward, reflecting the stark reality of the situation, but it is also infused with a deep sense of sorrow and inevitability. The repetition of certain words and phrases, such as “stone” and “cut,” reinforces the themes of permanence and the inescapability of death.
• “A woman, turned to stone”
This metaphor vividly captures the woman’s emotional paralysis following the death of her lover. The word “stone” symbolizes her inability to express her grief outwardly, as she becomes numb and unresponsive.
• “Three days, three nights, / She did not stir”
The repetition here emphasizes the unchanging and unrelenting nature of her grief. Time seems to stand still for her, as she is trapped in a cycle of mourning.
Imagery
The poem is rich in imagery, particularly in its depiction of the woman’s transformation and the process of carving the stone.
• “A flash, a shock, / A rumbling fall”
This imagery vividly describes the moment of the lover’s death, capturing the sudden and violent nature of the accident.
• “Her tearless, staring eyes, / That, seeing naught, saw all.”
The stark imagery of the woman’s tearless eyes conveys her profound shock and emotional numbness. The phrase “seeing naught, saw all” suggests that she is internally overwhelmed by grief, even though she cannot outwardly express it.
• “The two of us were chiselling, / Together, I and Death.”
This personification of Death as a co-worker emphasizes the closeness of death to the speaker and the woman as they carve the stone. It also highlights the inevitability of death and its pervasive presence in their lives.
Repetition
Repetition is used throughout the poem to emphasize the relentlessness of grief and the inescapable reality of death.
• “And will you cut a stone for him, / To set above his head?”
The repetition of this request underscores the finality of the task at hand and the woman’s desperate need to memorialize her lover.
• “She could not weep. / She could not sleep.”
The repetition of “could not” emphasizes the extent of her emotional paralysis and the depth of her sorrow.
Metaphor
• “Cutting a stone”
The act of cutting the stone becomes a metaphor for dealing with grief. As the stonecutter shapes the stone, the woman’s grief is etched deeper into her heart, suggesting that the process of memorialization is both cathartic and painful.
Personification
• “Together, I and Death.”
Death is personified as a partner in the act of carving the stone, emphasizing its pervasive presence and the inevitability of mortality.
Conclusion
Wilfrid Wilson Gibson’s “The Stone” is a poignant meditation on the impact of death and the process of grieving. Through its evocative imagery, repetition, and use of metaphor, the poem captures the deep emotional paralysis that accompanies the loss of a loved one. The act of carving the memorial stone serves as a powerful symbol of the permanence of death and the enduring nature of grief, leaving a lasting impression on both the characters and the reader.
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