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Excerpt

Excerpt from Main Street, and Other Poems, by Joyce Kilmer

"And there is no consolation so quickening to the heart
As the warmth and whiteness that come from the lines of noble poetry.
It is strong joy to read it when the wounds of the spirit smart,
It puts the flame in a lonely breast where only ashes be.
It is strong joy to read it, and to make it is a thing
That exalts a man with a sacreder pride than any pride on earth.
For it makes him kneel to a broken slave and set his foot on a king,
And it shakes the walls of his little soul with the echo of God's mirth.

"There was the poet Homer had the sorrow to be blind,
Yet a hundred people with good eyes would listen to him all night;
For they took great enjoyment in the heaven of his mind,
And were glad when the old blind poet let them share his powers of sight.
And there was Heine lying on his mattress all day long,
He had no wealth, he had no friends, he had no joy at all,
Except to pour his sorrow into little cups of song,
And the world finds in them the magic wine that his broken heart let fall.

"And these are only a couple of names from a list of a thousand score
Who have put their glory on the world in poverty and pain.
And the title of poet's a noble thing, worth living and dying for,
Though all the devils on earth and in Hell spit at me their disdain.
It is stern work, it is perilous work, to thrust your hand in the sun
And pull out a spark of immortal flame to warm the hearts of men:
But Prometheus, torn by the claws and beaks whose task is never done,
Would be tortured another eternity to go stealing fire again."

Explanation

Joyce Kilmer’s "Main Street, and Other Poems" (1917) is a collection that reflects his deep reverence for poetry, nature, and the transcendent power of art. The excerpt you’ve provided is a passionate ode to the transformative and almost sacred nature of poetry, celebrating its ability to heal, elevate, and defy suffering. Kilmer, best known for his short, lyrical poem "Trees" (1913), was a devout Catholic and a soldier who died in World War I; his work often blends romantic idealism with a sense of duty and sacrifice. This excerpt, while not from his most famous poem, encapsulates his belief in poetry as a divine and redemptive force.

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt

1. The Healing and Exalting Power of Poetry (First Stanza)

"And there is no consolation so quickening to the heart / As the warmth and whiteness that come from the lines of noble poetry. / It is strong joy to read it when the wounds of the spirit smart, / It puts the flame in a lonely breast where only ashes be."

Theme: Poetry as Spiritual Revival Kilmer begins by declaring poetry the ultimate solace for a wounded soul. The imagery of "warmth and whiteness" suggests purity and renewal—almost like a cleansing light. The "wounds of the spirit" and "ashes" evoke despair, but poetry reignites the "flame" within, transforming emptiness into passion.
Literary Devices:
- Metaphor: Poetry is compared to a healing fire ("flame in a lonely breast") that revives what was dead ("ashes").
- Contrast: The opposition between "ashes" (death, despair) and "flame" (life, inspiration) emphasizes poetry’s redemptive power.
- Alliteration: "warmth and whiteness" creates a soothing, rhythmic effect, reinforcing the idea of comfort.

"It is strong joy to read it, and to make it is a thing / That exalts a man with a sacreder pride than any pride on earth. / For it makes him kneel to a broken slave and set his foot on a king, / And it shakes the walls of his little soul with the echo of God's mirth."

Theme: Poetry as Divine and Subversive Kilmer elevates the act of creating poetry above all earthly pride. The poet is both humbled ("kneel to a broken slave") and empowered ("set his foot on a king"), suggesting poetry’s democratic and revolutionary potential—it levels hierarchies, giving voice to the oppressed and challenging tyranny.
The "echo of God's mirth" implies that poetry connects the poet (and reader) to divine joy, shaking the "little soul" (human limitations) with something vast and transcendent.
Literary Devices:
- Paradox: The poet is both humble and dominant ("kneel" and "set his foot"), reflecting poetry’s dual nature—serving the lowly while defying the mighty.
- Biblical/Religious Imagery: "Sacred pride" and "God's mirth" frame poetry as a quasi-religious act.
- Personification: The soul has "walls" that can be shaken, suggesting poetry’s power to disrupt and expand consciousness.

2. Poetry as Triumph Over Suffering (Second Stanza)

"There was the poet Homer had the sorrow to be blind, / Yet a hundred people with good eyes would listen to him all night; / For they took great enjoyment in the heaven of his mind, / And were glad when the old blind poet let them share his powers of sight."

Theme: Art Transcends Physical Limitations Kilmer cites Homer, the blind epic poet of The Iliad and The Odyssey, as an example of how poetry grants a higher "sight" than physical vision. Despite his blindness, Homer’s "heaven of his mind" allows others to "share his powers of sight"—meaning his imagination illuminates what eyes cannot.
Literary Devices:
- Irony: A blind man gives "sight" to others, underscoring poetry’s ability to reveal deeper truths.
- Metaphor: "Heaven of his mind" suggests poetry as a celestial, otherworldly realm.

"And there was Heine lying on his mattress all day long, / He had no wealth, he had no friends, he had no joy at all, / Except to pour his sorrow into little cups of song, / And the world finds in them the magic wine that his broken heart let fall."

Theme: Suffering Transformed into Beauty Kilmer references Heinrich Heine, the 19th-century German poet who endured poverty, illness, and exile. Despite his misery ("no wealth, no friends, no joy"), Heine’s sorrow becomes "magic wine"—his poems are intoxicating, nourishing the world.
The imagery of "pouring sorrow into little cups of song" suggests alchemy: pain is distilled into art that sustains others.
Literary Devices:
- Metaphor: Sorrow becomes "magic wine"—poetry as a potion that heals or enchants.
- Synecdoche: "Broken heart" represents Heine’s entire suffering, which paradoxically enriches humanity.

3. The Poet’s Noble Burden (Third Stanza)

"And these are only a couple of names from a list of a thousand score / Who have put their glory on the world in poverty and pain. / And the title of poet's a noble thing, worth living and dying for, / Though all the devils on Earth and in Hell spit at me their disdain."

Theme: The Poet’s Sacrifice and Defiance Kilmer acknowledges that most great poets (like Homer and Heine) suffered—"poverty and pain"—yet their "glory" endures. He declares the poet’s title "noble" enough to justify life and death, even in the face of universal scorn ("devils... spit at me their disdain").
This reflects Kilmer’s own willingness to endure hardship for art (he later died in war, embodying this sacrifice).
Literary Devices:
- Hyperbole: "A thousand score" (2000 poets) emphasizes the vast history of suffering artists.
- Personification: "Devils... spit disdain" dramatizes the opposition poets face.

"It is stern work, it is perilous work, to thrust your hand in the sun / And pull out a spark of immortal flame to warm the hearts of men: / But Prometheus, torn by the claws and beaks whose task is never done, / Would be tortured another eternity to go stealing fire again."

Theme: The Promethean Poet Kilmer compares the poet to Prometheus, the Titan who stole fire from the gods to give to humanity and was eternally punished. Just as Prometheus endured torment to bring light, the poet suffers to extract "immortal flame" (truth, beauty) from the "sun" (divine inspiration) to warm "the hearts of men."
The final lines suggest that, like Prometheus, the poet would choose suffering again for the sake of this sacred mission.
Literary Devices:
- Mythological Allusion: Prometheus symbolizes the artist as a rebellious, self-sacrificing figure.
- Metaphor: "Thrust your hand in the sun" = daring to seize divine inspiration.
- Imagery: "Claws and beaks" (the eagle that tormented Prometheus) evoke relentless pain, yet the poet’s resolve is unbroken.

Significance and Context

Kilmer’s Catholic and Romantic Influences:
- His faith likely shaped his view of poetry as a quasi-sacred act ("sacreder pride," "God's mirth").
- The Romantic tradition (e.g., Wordsworth, Shelley) also celebrated the poet as a prophet and healer, which Kilmer echoes.
World War I and Sacrifice:
- Written just before Kilmer’s death in 1918, the poem’s themes of endurance and noble suffering resonate with the wartime spirit of duty.
Universal Appeal:
- Kilmer’s idealism—poetry as a force that defies pain, hierarchies, and even death—speaks to the timeless belief in art’s power to transcend human limitations.

Conclusion: The Excerpt’s Core Message

Kilmer’s passage is a manifesto on the divine and subversive nature of poetry. It argues that:

Poetry heals ("flame in a lonely breast"),
Elevates ("sacreder pride than any on earth"),
Democratizes ("kneel to a broken slave, set his foot on a king"),
Transcends suffering (Homer, Heine, Prometheus),
And is worth any sacrifice ("worth living and dying for").

The excerpt’s mythic and religious imagery frames the poet as a martyr-hero, stealing fire from the gods to illuminate humanity—even at great personal cost. Kilmer’s own life and death lend the words a poignant weight, making this not just a celebration of poetry, but a call to embrace its transformative, almost holy, power.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of poetry as a force that "makes [a man] kneel to a broken slave and set his foot on a king" primarily serves to:

A. illustrate the poet’s moral obligation to advocate for social justice through verse.
B. contrast the material wealth of kings with the spiritual poverty of enslaved people.
C. suggest that poetry is a political tool best wielded by the oppressed against their rulers.
D. convey the paradoxical duality of poetry’s power to both humble and exalt the poet.
E. argue that true artistry requires the poet to adopt contradictory ideological stances.

Question 2

The allusion to Prometheus in the final stanza differs from the references to Homer and Heine in that it:

A. emphasizes the poet’s role as a thief of divine secrets rather than a creator of beauty.
B. frames poetic creation as an act of defiant endurance rather than a consolation for suffering.
C. suggests that poets, like Prometheus, are ultimately abandoned by the gods they serve.
D. implies that the poet’s suffering is self-inflicted, unlike the external hardships faced by Homer and Heine.
E. portrays the poet’s work as a futile struggle against inevitable punishment.

Question 3

The phrase "the echo of God’s mirth" in the first stanza is most effectively interpreted as:

A. a blasphemous suggestion that poets usurp divine authority through their craft.
B. an evocation of the transcendent joy that poetry awakens in the human soul.
C. a critique of religious institutions that fail to provide the solace poetry offers.
D. an ironic juxtaposition of divine laughter with the poet’s earthly struggles.
E. a literal claim that poetry is a direct channel for God’s communication with humanity.

Question 4

The structural progression from Homer to Heine to Prometheus in the passage serves to:

A. trace a historical lineage of poets who overcame physical disabilities.
B. illustrate the increasing severity of suffering endured by poets across time.
C. escalate the stakes of poetic creation from personal consolation to mythic defiance.
D. contrast the classical ideals of Homer with the romantic despair of Heine and Prometheus.
E. demonstrate that only mythological figures can fully embody the poet’s noble burden.

Question 5

The passage’s closing lines—"Would be tortured another eternity to go stealing fire again"—are most thematically aligned with which of the following ideas?

A. The poet’s masochistic attachment to suffering as a prerequisite for artistic validation.
B. The inevitability of artistic failure, as even Prometheus’s fire was ultimately extinguished.
C. The irrepressible compulsion to create, even in the face of guaranteed and endless torment.
D. The notion that true art requires the poet to reject earthly rewards in favor of divine punishment.
E. A warning to aspiring poets that their pursuit of glory will lead only to eternal regret.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The lines "makes him kneel to a broken slave and set his foot on a king" present a paradoxical duality: poetry simultaneously humbles the poet (kneeling to a slave) and exalts them (dominating a king). This reflects the passage’s broader theme that poetry is both a servile act (serving humanity’s lowest) and a revolutionary one (challenging the highest powers). The correct answer captures this tension without reducing it to mere political advocacy (A/C) or moral contradiction (E).