Nissim Ezekiel, “Perspective”
Saints, who thought the voices heard in cell
Or grove implied Authority, were told
By priests and lawyers that the Prince of Hall
Can speak of love, although his heart is cold.
They say his call to serve is all pretense,
Who pushes you ahead, then falls behind
While you are tortured, pleading innocence:
The shadow you have chased was of your mind.
And yet, the body’s movement in the dance
Is what the walker dreams of, on the hill
At dawn or nightfall, with an inward glance,
And hears a voice insisting: find, fulfill.
Diverted from the safer paths of men,
He rides into a marsh to see the Grail,
Or hopes to earn a living with his pen
Who reads the language of the world like braille.
Reluctant creatures of a solitude
Whose deeds or poems haunt the human night,
Forgive yourself the springing of the blood,
The sad illusion of perpetual light.
Mark the places visited, turn the sod
With deeper thrust, for better or for worse,
And leave the rest to darkness or to God:
The prospect of a blessing or a curse.
I have to make a close reading of this poem for school. Find the metre, rhyme sound effect and all those other fun stuff.
Then I have to focus on one aspect of this close reading for example 'how to the sound effects add to the meaning of the poem'.
Only problem is that I don't really know what it's about...
Can somebody help me?
Thanks!


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