Stop All the Clocks
by Mike Flynn
Title
Stop All the Clocks
Artist
Mike Flynn
Medium
Photograph - Digital Art
Description
Funeral Blues
W.H. Auden [1907-1973]
Wystan Hugh Auden was born in 1907 in England, though he became an American citizen in 1946.
W.H. Auden was educated at good schools in England and at Oxford University.
He became a teacher and then a lecturer in England and America.
W.H. Auden was a homosexual, though he could not reveal the fact publicly.
The poem ‘Funeral Blues’ is a lament for a friend. ‘Blues’ is an American word for a sad song.
The poem was first published as one of ‘Twelve Songs’.
When Auden wrote this poem, it was common for funerals to be very formal. Mourners would wear black ties or bow-ties, made of crepe, a thin material. White doves [pigeons] would be released at the funeral of an important public figure. A formation of aeroplanes might pass over-head at a president’s funeral.
Instead of traffic lights, traffic policemen with white gloves regulated the traffic at major junctions.
In the first stanza, Auden wants everything normal to stop while the funeral of his friend is taking place.
At first, he orders complete silence.
The poet is so sad he wants to hush the sound of clocks because of the death of his friend.
He doesn’t want to hear telephones ringing, the barking of dogs or music—including the sound of pianos.
As a mark of respect to his dead friend, he desires funeral drums to beat with a low sound.
In the second stanza, Auden calls for aeroplanes to circle overhead to mark the death of his friend. The planes would fly in formation with a message for all to see. He would like the planes to notify everybody about the death of his dear friend. The sound of the planes would be like a mourning sound.
Auden would like white doves with black bows to be released in honour of his friend.
He grief is so great that he would like the traffic police to wear black gloves instead of the normal white gloves they use to direct traffic.
The third stanza contains an outpouring of emotions.
Auden states his friend meant everything to him.
He was his compass or guide. He was his best supporter during the working week. He was his companion on Sunday, his rest day.
Auden felt inseparable from his friend. He was there in his thoughts at every noon, at midnight, in his conversations. At key times everyday he saw or thought about him. Auden’s friend was the song in his soul.
Auden believed he would always have his friend, but he was wrong.
In the fourth stanza, Auden shows us how devastated he feels without his friend.
As in the first stanza, he wants to cancel or abolish certain things because of his grief.
He wants to destroy the universe: the stars, moon and sun.
Auden wants to get rid of the oceans and forests of the earth.
There is no point in living without his friend. The world cannot continue.
Uploaded
April 9th, 2013
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