Forbidden love, relationships, religion, nature, memories
Content
This poem, like 'Postcard to his Wife' was written shortly after the tragic death of Abse's wife in a car crash in 2005. Abse is reminiscing on the happy times they spent together and the fond memories of their time at the beach. He is evidently pleased that he chose to take a bite from the forbidden fruit in that a marriage between a Jew and a Gentile (non-Jew) was frowned upon at the time but pleased himself and his wife.
Analysis
- The title itself is likely a reference to the Malham bird of Eden from Jewish legend who obeyed the commandment not to eat of the forbidden fruit and so remains forever in Paradise, unable to taste the joys of this world, such as marriage.
- Abse makes it clear that the poem is a personal message "For Joan" (his wife), as though he is letting her experience the memories with him all over again.
- The deictic expression of "That long summer" immediately creates a sense of intimacy and shared thoughts whilst the reference to summer is pathetic fallacy to show warmth, happiness, comfort and love. The idea that the memory registers in "clarity" suggests that Abse still remembers the events clearly and thinks of them often.
- As absorbed as Abse was in the relationship, he believed that it should be broadcast across the world as it was of such importance yet "no morning News announced the great world had been reinvented". In Abse's mind, the relationship was such more significant than it appeared to others, as is often the case when people become so involved in their own affairs that they believe that that is all there is to the world. The idea of being "in love" was so powerful to Abse and his wife yet the world continued to go as normal. They had been moulded to a "new" purpose with new perspectives and were changed by their love.
- Abse then exclaims in mock horror "you a Gentile and I a Jew!" A conflict between religion and love had been started with the relationship as it was frowned upon for a Jew to marry someone not of the same faith. Clearly, their families disapproved but their love was so powerful that they went ahead with the marriage anyway.
- The second stanza begins in the format of a love letter addressed "Dear wife". Abse recounts their first "illicit holiday", with the word "illicit" suggesting that it was morally wrong and secretive. The alliteration of "rented room" suggests an element of the mundane but to Abse and his wife, these objects and spaces meant so much more. The room is a symbol shared by the couple, representative of their time "hidden" away together. Even the "tame seagull" that they saw was viewed as a "portent" and "love message", as though nothing could go wrong and nature was on their side. However, the mention of "Dafydd's ghost" is somewhat unnatural yet makes it seem as though the relationship was supernaturally affirmed and Dafydd ( a poet who often wrote about love and nature) had even woken from his grave to send a symbol of his affirmation.
- In the third stanza, the couple lie on their "shadows naked, more than together". They are both physically and mentally connected and are not hiding any part of themselves, showing a deep level of intimacy. The image of "two chalk lines" kissing in the sky is a random act of fate which becomes a symbol of love and connection for Abse and his wife, though the fact that these "slowly disappear" could be foreshadowing Abse's wife's death as he now has the benefit of hindsight. At the time however, even the "friendly gull" is made to mean so much more by two people deeply in love.
- The love between Abse and his wife survived "three grandchildren" and vast expanses of time, allowing Abse to reflect on the significance of his choice back when he decided to get married. He is reminded of the story of the "black feathered bird"- the "malham of Eden"- and how it obeyed the "advice" it was given to not eat the "forbidden fruit" whilst others did. This bird remained "resolute" while Abse ignored the advice he was given not to marry a non-Jew, however, he remains eternally grateful for his choice. Though the malham bird of Eden was not "banished" and stayed in "Paradise", this is ironic in that this could not have been paradise if the bird was "lonely" and forever lacking the warmth of a relationship. The metaphorical bird ignored its desires and paid the cost for that and the fact that these gardens have "vanished" implies that they were never really there. An alternative interpretation of this last stanza is that Abse is actually regretting eating the forbidden fruit ( representative of the joys of life, such as love and marriage) as it meant he had his wife cruelly snatched away from him and the consequences are too much to bare.
- A rhyming couplet appears in each stanza to show that the couple and their relationship were the one solid and stable thing amidst the storm of opposition.
- The various references to religion that do appear within the poem are all negative, showing that Abse is criticising the restrictions religion places upon a person's life and defying what is expected of him by his religion.
Themes- 'An Arundel Tomb'- Just as the tomb presents the love of the dead couple, the love between Abse and his wife is captured in this poem and in their shared memories, along with the supposed symbols of love and affirmation such as the seagull. However, all of these things eventually begin to fade away and are fleeting at best as the identity of the couple in Larkin's poem becomes "blurred" and they are "helpless" against the reach of time.
As Bad as a Mile'- Both of these poems focus upon the age old story of Eden and the forbidden fruit being eaten, leading to a life of unfulfillment. The persona in Larkin's poem believes that it was the actions of Adam and Eve that have cursed the rest of humanity to a life of "failure", however, Abse appears pleased and content with his decision to eat the forbidden fruit as it allowed him to be married and have love. Despite this, the poem is tinged with an element of sadness as Abse's wife died a sudden death and this may be the consequence of partaking of the forbidden.
'Dockery and Son'- Dockery knew at a young age "what he wanted" and embraced family and relationships. In comparison, Larkin decided to stay alone without a wife and family and is therefore perhaps representative of the lonely Malham bird. Both Dockery and Abse found joy in their relationships whilst Larkin remained on the outside,though there does seem to be some similarity in that Abse and Larkin both rebelled against the social norms.
'Love Songs in Age'- Love can make a couple feel that "unfailing sense of being young" and that the relationship will last forever, however, ultimately it will fade and only sad memories will remain in its place. In some ways this links to Abse's poem as though the relationship lasted "three grandchildren", when Abse's wife died, Abse was left only with the memories and some sense of disappointment.
'Broadcast'- These poems are linked through the affection that the writer displays for another person, unusual for Larkin, who is normally so reserved. However, the reader does not know if Larkin has fabricated the connection and this display of feeling is much more uncharacteristic for Larkin whilst it appears innate for Abse.
'The Whitsun Weddings', 'Afternoons'- In both of these poems, Larkin takes an entirely different view on marriage than Abse. Larkin describes the marriage of the various couples as a "happy funeral" and that mothers are pushed to the "side of their own lives" by their children and husbands. Contrastingly, Abse has nothing but good memories to speak of about marriage, though like in 'Afternoons' and the restriction of the children's presence, there is a restriction on the marriage in terms of religion.
Tone- Sentimental, nostalgic: 'Broadcast', 'For Sidney Bechet', 'Love Songs in Age', 'The Importance of Elsewhere'
Technique-
Like in this poem, pathetic fallacy is used to show the changing nature of relationships and their strength in 'Afternoons'. Whilst the season is clearly "summer" in the memory that Abse is recounting and the time was full of joy and warmth, in Larkin's poem, "summer is fading" and it is "Afternoon". The relationship is in a state of decline and the previous passion is dwindling away.
The alliteration of "new and nondescript" is also used in 'The Whitsun Weddings' to present something as being mundane but it could have another more significant meaning to people and families.