Piano

D.H. Lawrence

Presented by: Mark Uriel C. Alciso

BSED 3B
 Structure
• Poem is in rhyming couplets - these create a
sense of harmony. This is built upon with the
use of three equal quatrains. Perhaps the
regular rhyming structure sounds musical?
• Moves between past and present - look for the
time words - 'Now', 'back' etc.
 The Title
• Instrument which links speaker's present to his
past. Symbolic of 2 main things he longs for in
his past:
• His mother. Recalls security and warmth of her
presence. Admires her for her grace and beauty.
Strong respect for her.
• Cozy, warm atmosphere of home. 'Child'
repeated, desires simplicity and innocence.
 Stanza 1
• Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the vista of years, till I
see A child sitting under the piano, in the
boom of the tingling strings And pressing the
small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as
she sings.
• Speaker listens to the piano and recalls his
past. Belongs to warm and stable family.
'Softly' Line 1, 'Smiles as she sings' Line 4.
Music Contrast between strong and weak
sounds, like the struggle between the two
singers. E.g. 'softly' and 'boom'. "pressing the
small, poised feet" shows sense of touch and
closeness. Aura around her of grace and
beauty. Adoration and admiration - watches
her as she plays. Metaphor "the vista of years"
compares the events of his life to a long road
indicating how far in time he is recalling
• Repetition of the 's' consonant in phrase "who
smiles as she sings" complements the soft,
gentle music of the piano.
 Stanza 2
• In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of
song Betrays me back, till the heart of me
weeps to belong To the old Sunday evenings at
home, with winter outside And hymns in the
cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.
• Moves from happy to bittersweet - 'Betrays me'. "old
Sunday evenings... with winter outside" - contrast used
to amplify security felt in warm home setting. "the
insidious mastery of song" indicates the overwhelming
power of the music. "till the heart of me weeps" shows
the extent of his being moved by his memories. Mood
is depressing and sad as tone intensifies to a passionate
cry for his lost past. "In spite of myself" - lack of self
control. "Insidious mastery" - subtle effect of music.
 ‘Betrays’ Reflecting speaker’s attitude

• Strong word indicating sense of frustration.

Unable to stop himself from recalling his past.
Shows how overwhelming, how deep, his
longing to return to his past is. Suggests how
different and perhaps how unhappy his
present life is compared to his past.
 Stanza 3
• So now it is vain for the singer to burst into
clamour With the great black piano
appassionato. The glamour Of childish days is
upon me, my manhood is cast Down in the
flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for
the past.
• Moves into sadness as nostalgia builds in Stanza
3- 'glamour of childish days', 'I weep'. Climax "I
weep like a child for the past" (simile) - speaker
compares himself to a child, shows. openness
and childlike sincerity. Unable to control
emotions any longer and breaks down. Stuck in
the present but like the child, he longs to return
to security and warmth of his past. "glamour"
suggests beauty and grace. Childhood is
glamorous because it is one of security and
beauty. Overwhelming longing-tears compared
to 'flood' and 'cast' indicates strength of his
emotion destroying his façade of pride.
Thank You !