A Prayer for My Daughter Analysis
First Stanza
Once more the storm is howling, and half hid
Under this cradle-hood and coverlid
My child sleeps on.
Explanation
This line introduces the speaker’s child, who is asleep in a cradle covered with a blanket. The word “half hidden” suggests that the child is protected from the storm but still aware of it.
There is no obstacle
But Gregory’s wood and one bare hill
Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind,
Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed;
Explanation
This line describes the landscape surrounding the speaker’s home. The wood and the bare hill are the only things standing between the house and the Atlantic Ocean, where the storm originated. The word “haystack- and roof-levelling” emphasizes the destructive power of the wind.
And for an hour I have walked and prayed
Because of the great gloom that is in my mind.
Explanation
This line reveals the reason for the speaker’s actions. He is worried and anxious due to the storm and their thoughts about their daughter’s future.
Figurative language
Metaphor: “haystack- and roof-levelling wind” compares the wind to a destructive force.
Personification: “Bred on the Atlantic” gives the wind life and origin.
Second Stanza
I have walked and prayed for this young child an hour
Explanation
This line reiterates the speaker’s anxiety and worry for their child, emphasizing the duration of their concern.
And heard the sea-wind scream upon the tower,
And under the arches of the bridge, and scream
In the elms above the flooded stream;
Explanation
These lines introduce the sound of the storm of sea wind screaming on the tower, under the bridge’s arches and through the elms above a flooded stream. The repetition of “scream” emphasizes the intensity and persistence of the storm. This imagery adds to the feeling of chaos and destruction caused by the storm.
Imagining in excited reverie
That the future years had come,
Explanation
These lines shifts the focus from the external storm to the speaker’s internal thoughts. The speaker begins to imagine the future years in a state of “excited reverie,” suggesting a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. He is envisioning the future years as if they are already present.
Dancing to a frenzied drum,
Out of the murderous innocence of the sea.
Explanation
It depict the future as a time of frenzied activity and chaos, symbolized by the image of dancing to a wild drumbeat. This line connects the imagery of the storm and the speaker’s anxieties about the future. The “murderous innocence of the sea” suggests a powerful force that is both beautiful and destructive, representing the potential dangers the child may face in life.
Figurative language
Metaphor: “murderous innocence of the sea” compares the sea to a force that is both beautiful and destructive.
Personification: “sea-wind scream” gives the wind human-like qualities.
Third Stanza
May she be granted beauty and yet not
Beauty to make a stranger’s eye distraught,
Or hers before a looking-glass,
Explanation
The speaker expresses a desire for his daughter to possess beauty, but not to such an extent that it attracts unwanted attention from strangers or becomes her primary focus. He suggests that excessive beauty can be distracting and potentially lead to vanity and self-absorption. He wishes for her to have an inner beauty that shines through and is not solely defined by her physical appearance.
for such,
Being made beautiful overmuch,
Consider beauty a sufficient end,
Explanation
These lines warn against the dangers of excessive beauty. They suggest that people who are “made beautiful overmuch” may come to believe that their beauty is enough and neglect other important aspects of life, such as kindness, intellectual pursuits, and meaningful relationships. This can lead to a shallow and ultimately unfulfilling existence.
Lose natural kindness and maybe
The heart-revealing intimacy
That chooses right, and never find a friend.
Explanation
These lines warn against losing “natural kindness” and the “heart-revealing intimacy” that guides us towards choosing the right path. They suggest that without these qualities, finding true friendship might become impossible. The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining these inherent human traits for building genuine connections and navigating life with clarity and purpose.
Figurative language
Metaphor: “heart-revealing intimacy” compares true friendship to a state of openness and vulnerability.
Hyperbole: “beauty to make a stranger’s eye distraught” exaggerates the potential impact of the daughter’s beauty.
Fourth Stanza
Helen being chosen found life flat and dull
And later had much trouble from a fool,
Explanation
Helen of Troy, who was chosen to be a king’s wife, found life with him very boring; later, she suffered at the hands of her lover, Paris, a foolish man.
While that great Queen, that rose out of the spray,
Being fatherless could have her way
Explanation
Meanwhile, the queen Aphrodite, who was born in the ocean waves, had no father and could have chosen any man.
Yet chose a bandy-leggèd smith for man.
Explanation
Yet, she chose Hephaestus, a crippled blacksmith, as her husband.
It’s certain that fine women eat
A crazy salad with their meat
Whereby the Horn of Plenty is undone.
Explanation
Without a doubt, beautiful women waste the gift of their natural beauty by doing crazy things.
Figurative language
Metaphor: “Horn of Plenty” symbolizes abundance and prosperity.
Juxtaposition: Contrasting descriptions of Helen and the Queen highlight societal expectations and unconventional choices.
Symbolism: “Crazy salad” could symbolize rebellion and embracing individuality.
Fifth Stanza
In courtesy I’d have her chiefly learned;
Explanation
The speaker expresses his desire for his daughter to be primarily skilled in courtesy. This suggests that he value respectfulness, consideration, and good manners above other qualities.
Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned
By those that are not entirely beautiful;
Explanation
These lines emphasize the effort required to gain someone’s love. It challenges the idea of love at first sight and suggests that true affection comes through actions and genuine connection, not merely outward appearance.
Yet many, that have played the fool
For beauty’s very self, has charm made wise,
Explanation
These lines introduce the idea that individuals who initially prioritize beauty may eventually learn and appreciate other qualities. It suggests that a person’s focus on outward appearance may eventually give way to a deeper understanding of what truly matters in a relationship. Charm, in this context, likely refers to a combination of positive qualities that go beyond physical appearance, such as wit, kindness, and intelligence.
And many a poor man that has roved,
Loved and thought himself beloved,
Explanation
These lines introduce a new perspective, that of a less fortunate individuals who have experienced love and self-deception. They have traveled and loved, believing themselves to be loved in return.
From a glad kindness cannot take his eyes.
Explanation
The final line reveals the source of the poor man’s unwavering affection. He is captivated by “a glad kindness,” suggesting that genuine acts of kindness and compassion have earned his lasting admiration and love. This reinforces the poem’s central theme that true love arises from genuine connection and positive qualities, not just outward beauty.
Figurative language
Metaphor: “hearts are earned” compares gaining someone’s love to a process of earning something valuable.
Personification: “charm made wise” suggests that charm can have a transformative effect on a person, making them wiser and more understanding.
Juxtaposition: The contrast between “beauty” and “glad kindness” emphasizes the importance of inner qualities over outward appearance.
Sixth Stanza
May she become a flourishing hidden tree
Explanation
This line begins by expressing the speaker’s wish for their daughter to grow and thrive, like a strong and healthy tree. However, the word “hidden” suggests that the speaker desires this growth to occur quietly and without seeking attention.
That all her thoughts may like the linnet be,
And have no business but dispensing round
Their magnanimities of sound,
Explanation
The speaker compares their daughter’s thoughts to a linnet, a small songbird known for its beautiful melodies. This comparison suggests a desire for her thoughts to be pure, innocent, and filled with positive energy, like the joyful sound of a linnet’s song. He hopes she will be focused on spreading kindness and joy to others, rather than pursuing personal gain or worldly ambitions. The speaker uses a powerful metaphor, “magnanimities of sound,” to describe the positive effects of their daughter’s thoughts and actions. These “magnanimities” represent small acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion that have a ripple effect, spreading positivity and improving the lives of those around her.
Nor but in merriment begin a chase,
Nor but in merriment a quarrel.
Explanation
He hopes she will engage in life with enthusiasm and find pleasure in simple activities and playful pursuits. And even in disagreements or conflicts, his daughter will approach them with a playful and good-natured attitude. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining positive relationships even during challenges.
O may she live like some green laurel
Rooted in one dear perpetual place.
Explanation
The poem shifts to the image of a laurel tree, a symbol of longevity, strength, and victory. The speaker now wishes for their daughter to live a long and fulfilling life, remaining firm in her values and principles like the roots of a strong tree.
Figurative Language:
Metaphor: “thoughts may like the linnet be” compares the daughter’s thoughts to the beauty and innocence of a linnet’s song.
Personification: “magnanimities of sound” attributes human qualities like generosity to the sounds produced by the daughter’s thoughts and actions.
Seventh Stanza
My mind, because the minds that I have loved,
The sort of beauty that I have approved,
Prosper but little, has dried up of late,
Explanation
The speaker’s current state is revealed. Previous sources of inspiration and joy have dwindled, leading to a feeling of barrenness and unproductiveness.
Yet knows that to be choked with hate
May well be of all evil chances chief.
Explanation
These lines emphasize the dangers of hatred, considered the worst possible outcome. A strong commitment to avoiding its grip is suggested.
If there’s no hatred in a mind
Explanation
A hypothetical scenario is introduced, contrasting it with the potential dangers of hatred. A mind free from hatred is presented as a positive state, offering a pathway to healing and renewal.
Assault and battery of the wind
Can never tear the linnet from the leaf.
Explanation
The poem concludes with a hopeful image. A linnet, a small but resilient bird, clinging to a leaf, symbolizes the enduring strength of a mind free from hatred. This suggests that even amidst adversity, a positive and compassionate mind can remain grounded and unyielding.
Figurative Language
Metaphor: “assault and battery of the wind” compares life’s challenges to a physical attack.
Personification: “the minds that I have loved” suggests that the speaker’s past relationships have an independent existence and influence.
Juxtaposition: The contrasting themes of love and hate, beauty and barrenness, and wind and leaf create a sense of tension and depth.
Eighth Stanza
An intellectual hatred is the worst,
Explanation
This opening line establishes the central theme of the stanza: intellectual hatred is inherently harmful and destructive.
So let her think opinions are accursed.
Explanation
The speaker suggests that dismissing opinions altogether might be preferable to engaging in intellectual hatred. This implies a cautious approach towards forming strong opinions or judging others based on theirs.
Have I not seen the loveliest woman born
Out of the mouth of Plenty’s horn,
Explanation
The speaker presents a personal observation. He has seen a woman of remarkable beauty, born out of abundance and good fortune. The “mouth of Plenty’s horn” represents a source of unlimited good things, symbolizing the woman’s potential for happiness and fulfillment.
Because of her opinionated mind
Explanation
This line identifies the potential source of the woman’s problems. Her strong opinions are presented as a potential obstacle to her well-being.
Barter that horn and every good
By quiet natures understood
For an old bellows full of angry wind?
Explanation
The speaker describes the potential consequences of the woman’s strong opinions. She risks losing the abundance and other positive aspects of life symbolized by “Plenty’s horn”. “Quiet natures” are implied to possess a deeper understanding of true happiness and fulfillment, which the woman might lose by focusing on strong opinions. The final line uses a metaphor to depict the potential outcome of the woman’s strong opinions if they become destructive. The “old bellows” represent a tool for producing negativity and anger, ultimately leading to emptiness and dissatisfaction.
Figurative Language
Metaphor: “horn of Plenty” symbolizes abundance and prosperity, “old bellows” symbolizes negativity and anger.
Personification: “quiet natures understood” suggests that “quiet natures” have a deep understanding of the world.
Hypothetical question: “Have I not seen…” encourages the reader to consider the speaker’s observation and its implications.
Ninth Stanza
Considering that, all hatred driven hence,
Explanation
This line sets the stage for the stanza by introducing a hypothetical scenario where all hatred has been eliminated.
The soul recovers radical innocence
And learns at last that it is self-delighting,
Self-appeasing, self-affrighting,
Explanation
These lines describe the transformative effect of letting go of hatred. The soul, freed from negativity, rediscovers its inherent wholeness and untainted perspective. It discovers the ability to experience happiness and fulfillment independently, without relying on external sources. It can not only comfort itself but also acknowledge its potential for self-criticism and fear.
And that its own sweet will is Heaven’s will;
Explanation
This line signifies a powerful realization. The soul recognizes that its own desires, guided by its newfound self-awareness, are ultimately aligned with a force greater than itself, often referred to as Heaven’s will.
She can, though every face should scowl
And every windy quarter howl
Or every bellows burst, be happy still.
Explanation
These lines introduce a hypothetical situation to test the soul’s resilience. Even when faced with external disapproval and negativity, represented by “every face scowling,” the soul remains undeterred. The stanza concludes with a triumphant declaration. Despite potential hardships and external negativity, symbolized by the ‘windy quarter howling’ and ‘bursting bellows’, the soul remains steadfast in its newfound happiness and inner peace.
Figurative Language
Metaphor: “radical innocence” represents the soul’s purity and untainted perspective, “bellows burst” symbolizes external negativity and challenges.
Personification: “every face should scowl” and “every windy quarter howl” give human attributes to external forces.
Tenth Stanza
And may her bridegroom bring her to a house
Where all’s accustomed, ceremonious;
Explanation
These lines detail the desired characteristics of the woman’s future home. It emphasizes the importance of established routines and traditions, suggesting stability and order.
For arrogance and hatred are the wares
Peddled in the thoroughfares.
Explanation
These lines introduce a contrasting perspective. The “thoroughfares” represent the outside world, where negativity and hatred are readily available and potentially harmful.
How but in custom and in ceremony
Are innocence and beauty born?
Explanation
These lines pose a rhetorical question, suggesting that custom and ceremony are the only paths to achieving innocence and beauty. It implies a connection between these established practices and the preservation of positive qualities.
Ceremony’s a name for the rich horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel tree.
Explanation
This line uses a metaphor to further emphasize the importance of ceremony. It compares ceremony to the “rich horn,” symbolizing abundance and prosperity. This suggests that ceremony is a source of nourishment and positive outcomes. This line uses another metaphor to equate custom with the “spreading laurel tree.” The laurel tree symbolizes victory, success, and immortality. This suggests that custom provides a lasting foundation for achieving these positive outcomes.
Figurative Language
Metaphor: “rich horn” symbolizes abundance and prosperity of tradition and ceremony.
“spreading laurel tree” symbolizes victory, success, and immortality associated with custom.
Rhetorical question: “How but in custom and in ceremony are innocence and beauty born?” emphasizes the importance of tradition for nurturing positive qualities.
Personification: “wares are peddled” suggests that negativity is actively promoted and sold in the outside world.
