Sunday, March 27, 2011


Prospice
By: Robert Browning



EAR death? -- to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face,
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote
I am nearing the place,
The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe;
Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form,
Yet the strong man must go:
For the journey is done and the summit attained,
And the barriers fall,
Though a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained,
The reward of it all.
I was ever a fighter, so -- one fight more,
The best and the last!
I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forbore,
And bade me creep past.
No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers
The heroes of old,
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears
Of pain, darkness and cold.
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,
The black minute's at end,
And the elements' rage, the fiend-voices that rave,
Shall dwindle, shall blend,
Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain,
Then a light, then that best,
O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!

7 comments:

israa alqaderi said...

i think it is similar to some extent to the poem dont go gentle into that good night the poet here refused the idea to be banged and he has to face death like the heroes

Wala Madi said...

I agree with you Isra'. For the fact that everything will come to an end, why should the one fear death? so we should face death with its all suffering.

abeer subaih said...

Browning talks about a life of a solider who goes to fight with his foe and he collects courage by thinking worse about death, that death will come only one time , so why i should become afraid of it.i would not face it by bonding my eyes but i will face it like old heroes.this battle maybe the last one so i must exert my efforts to gain victory.

Anonymous said...

all these comments are great.in genral,this poem shows that the death is the winner.It is the end of all creatures.It is the only truth in our life.the courage of man is nothing when we compare it with the strength of death.Death means beginning new life.The poet does not from death bevause he wants to reunited with his wife in PARADISE under the protection of God

Anonymous said...

In my comment i have missed the word"fear" in the last line:the poet does not fear from death because ...........God.

Unknown said...

I think this poem reflects the grief over his wife,The poet wanders if he fears death when it comes, he said he will fight and face the death as a hero,Browning felt certain that he would be united with his wife in eternity

Unknown said...

Browning expresses his lack of fear for death ,because he knows that he is going to the Heaven. People fear death because they do not know what comes after it, but Browning's faith in God, gave him the conifdence to be able to say that he has no reason to fear.