Passion by Kathleen Raine

Contrasts

The first thing that strikes the reader is the use of contrasts in the poem.
Words like “speak” and “mute” emphasize on someone to speak who remains mute. “Flower” and “tiger” are elements of nature that have been brought up to show the contrast that nature has to offer. The poem being about universal energies mentions “mortal” and “immortal” another contrasts that exists. Raine waits for the “war” to end and what appears is “love” offering the “tranquility” that she longed for in the beginning. The images of “death” and “eternity” offer a paradox to the reader. At first “mortal death” focuses on the weakness for love that makes her almost die yet “love” and “eternity” prevail in the end. "Love" eludes the poetess. 

Transition

The poem begins with the anguish at the hands of lover who is “wounding” her. She feels abandoned by all – the “cloud”, “ship”, her own “speech” – is bereft of her lover and feels ignored. Nature in the form of “Sky” reinforces her belief in herself telling her she has what she “desires”.  She only has to feel confident, believe in herself and live without “fear”. The reality of her own strength then dawns on her. The reader feels her liberation in the war ending leading her feeling “love” and “eternity”

Theme

The poem is about love not returned, not reciprocated, which remains unrequited. Kathleen is at a loss for her soul “lacked”. Her anguished and turbulent thoughts come alive with her body growing “weak” – with her feeling that she lacked “tranquility”. The poet has created the image of a woman who feels rejected, abandoned by her lover. Yet, she regains strength and feels the change in her environs. She see nature “turn” around. There is hope again for “every cell” us new born. From “death” she moves to a state where “love” is the winner.

Poetic Devices – Enjambment

Enjambment breaks thought patterns and carries a contrasting idea to the next line in this poem. The reader feels “each tree” will lead to strength, yet this line leads to what her soul “lacked”. Raine’s “human speech” leaves the reader asking for her to say something, however it “forsakes” her. The penultimate stanza brings about a transition to the positive when every new cell “born burned” with fire. Raine creates a thought in one line and takes it to another level in the next one.

Sky has been personified – is it her friend? First it “wounds” her then it “speaks” to her. Elements of nature come alive when the “sky” talks to her and tell her to “believe” in herself. Telling her that she is complete in herself, she has what she “desires”. With the sky she discovers the energy of the universe and realizes that every was “new born”. She experienced “passion” in these energies and elements of nature.

The poem transits from a presence of “lack” to “love”. It takes the reader to journey where there is complete “light” and “love and eternity”. The universe energizes here.