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Ode to the Strings of My Guitar

I

How still you sleep, oh strings of my guitar,
As if you did not feel the faint caress
Of my soft finger, shaped to form a bar;
I wish to wake you with a gentle press,
So as to hear the sound of happiness
Strum deeply down my ear, and fill me whole
With those uplifting thoughts that prepossess
The prime, immortal essence of the soul,
Which you, sweet instrument, of sadness can console.

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II

Now let me brush, as if it were but dust,
The silence from your freckle-fretted face,
Out-stretch my arm, and carefully adjust
My hand around your neck (how smooth a place),
And ask you in this intimate embrace
To sing a lovely song of love to me,
And if my beating heart begins to race
Despite the slowness of the melody,
You will unlock true joy with your well-chosen key.

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III

I listen, wishing that I were like you,
For then I would be able to appease
The pains of mortal life, which are not few,
By answering its blows with melodies
More melting than the honey of the bees;
No more the ceaseless ticking on of time
Would claim my tears, nor any way displease,
For I would sing: things dead or past their prime
Are given life again, like sounds recalled through rhyme.

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IV

Repeat, repeat the chorus once again,
Oh velvet-voice in sweetness unsurpassed,
That I may recollect, once more obtain
Remembrance of a time forever past,
In which my lover’s arms had held me fast;
Sweet were our songs, our youth, and youth’s dear toys,
The scented scarf, the book for which I asked;
It’s not their loss, but hers which now destroys
The pureness of this song, and poisons all its joys.

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V

You seem to play, but no, your play is labour,
I too now labour in this life-long game,
Spectating from afar each sportive neighbour,
But now my eyes are tired, my ears the same,
So let us quieten down, and jointly aim
(I with my breath, you with your closing bar)
To sigh our last, while singing out her name,
That I may be as peaceful as you are
When you in stillness sleep, oh strings of my guitar.

.

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Daniel Joseph Howard studied law in his native Ireland before taking his MA in philosophy at King’s College London. After working in the European Commission, he is now pursuing a PhD in Philosophy at Boston College.

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25 Responses

  2. Shamik Banerjee

    Daniel, your poem is so wonderful that I had to read it more than once. Each stanza rolls off the tongue effortlessly, and a craft as beautiful as this is enough to lull me to sleep. Thank you so much for gracing us with your gift!

    Reply
  3. Roy Eugene Peterson

    This poem is well written with beautiful concepts. I am reminded of the Beatles song written by George Harrison, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

    Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Dear Roy,

      It would appear that great minds think alike because Evan made the same comment when I submitted the poem. I will have to listen to that song again.

      Daniel

      Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Dear David,

      Thanks for your comment. The question of pacing is so interesting because it plays such an important role in the choice of form, meter and rhyme scheme.

      Daniel.

      Reply
  5. Jeremiah Johnson

    I like that part about the wish to be an instrument in the third stanza in order to help assuage the pains of this mortal life. Reminded me of David playing the harp for Saul!

    Reply
  6. Margaret Coats

    Luscious five-part ode, Daniel. The parts play out in unhurried thematic progression, but I also think of the five fingers each making an individual contribution, especially with a singular finger in the first stanza. Many attractive artistries, including the “repeat, repeat” exhortation, and the closing echo of the first line. I like the less usual choice of nine lines per stanza, and the rhyme scheme closure with a couplet that draws out the sound in a longer final line. All of it is softly dressed with allusions to love of the guitar and to love of the lady whose name the guitar can sing. Very well done!

    Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Dear Margaret,

      I like your interpretation of each stanza being represented by a finger. Very interesting as always to have your poetic insight.

      Daniel.

      Reply
  8. Jeff Eardley

    Daniel, like Roy, I was reminded of the George Harrison song. I have been a guitarist for over 5 decades and I totally identify with your super poem. A friend of mine calls it, “the piece of wood that keeps me sane.” I bet you are a great player and I guess, classical. Love this. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Dear Jeff,

      I will not call myself a guitarist in front of someone who has honed his craft for five decades, but I’m glad that the poem was able to speak to you as a musician.

      Daniel.

      Reply
  9. Cynthia Erlandson

    Your ode has a truly musical sound and feel to it (as is, of course, highly appropriate). Your consistent rhyme scheme, and ringing rhymes — particularly happiness/prepossess; appease/melodies/displease — are just lovely. And I think that ending each verse with an alexandrine is exquisite; somehow it seems to add to the pathos of the poem. As for imagery, I especially noticed the images of the guitarist embracing the instrument around the neck, and “melodies / More melting than the honey of the bees.” Beautiful!

    Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Dear Cynthia,

      Thank you for your kind words. I also find that alexandrines, when used sparingly, somehow enhance the underlying emotion of a given passage of poetry. I think that Shelley is quite good at that.

      Daniel.

      Reply
  10. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    I am intrigued by odes and ‘Ode to the Strings of My Guitar’ captured my imagination as it sang to my heart. I particularly like the closing three lines of stanza V… oh, the pitfalls of consciousness when it comes to the subject of love.

    Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Dear Susan,

      Thank you for your comment. I am also interested in odes – you have probably already heard of Edmund Goose’s edition of ‘English Odes’, which I would recommend.

      I thought that your Ode to Winter was wonderful.

      Daniel.

      Reply
  11. Monika Cooper

    Very beautiful flow and wording. I was not expecting what happened in Stanzas IV and V. This is a beautiful subtle sumptuous lyric lament. And it seems eminently singable, like something Medieval I was listening to earlier.

    Reply
    • Daniel Howard

      Thanks for your kind comment, Monika. It would be interesting to know the name of the Medieval song you were singing!

      Reply
      • Monika Cooper

        Ja Nus Hons Pris by Richard the Lionheart. I haven’t tried to sing but have found myself humming it.

  12. Joshua C. Frank

    Love this! I play guitar, and you’ve done a good job of capturing the joy of it.

    Reply

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