Article #441-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from New Poems, and Variant Readings, by Robert Louis Stevenson

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PRAYER 1
LO! IN THINE HONEST EYES I READ 2
THOUGH DEEP INDIFFERENCE SHOULD DROWSE 2
MY HEART, WHEN FIRST THE BLACKBIRD SINGS 3
I DREAMED OF FOREST ALLEYS FAIR 4
ST. MARTIN’S SUMMER 6
DEDICATION 7
THE OLD CHIMÆRAS, OLD RECEIPTS 8
PRELUDE 10
THE VANQUISHED KNIGHT 11
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF NORTHERN LIGHTS 11
THE RELIC TAKEN, WHAT AVAILS THE SHRINE? 13
ABOUT THE SHELTERED GARDEN GROUND 14
AFTER READING “ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA” 15
I KNOW NOT HOW, BUT AS I COUNT 15
SPRING SONG 16
THE SUMMER SUN SHONE ROUND ME 16
YOU LOOKED SO TEMPTING IN THE PEW 17
LOVE’S VICISSITUDES 18
DUDDINGSTONE 18
STOUT MARCHES LEAD TO CERTAIN ENDS 20
AWAY WITH FUNERAL MUSIC 20
TO SYDNEY 21
HAD I THE POWER THAT HAVE THE WILL 23
O DULL COLD NORTHERN SKY 24
APOLOGETIC POSTSCRIPT OF A YEAR LATER 25
TO MARCUS 26
TO OTTILIE 27
THIS GLOOMY NORTHERN DAY 28
THE WIND IS WITHOUT THERE AND HOWLS IN THE TREES 29
A VALENTINE’S SONG 31
HAIL! CHILDISH SLAVES OF SOCIAL RULES 34
SWALLOWS TRAVEL TO AND FRO 36
TO MESDAMES ZASSETSKY AND GARSCHINE 37
TO MADAME GARSCHINE 39
MUSIC AT THE VILLA MARINA 39
FEAR NOT, DEAR FRIEND, BUT FREELY LIVE YOUR DAYS 40
LET LOVE GO, IF GO SHE WILL 41
I DO NOT FEAR TO OWN ME KIN 42
I AM LIKE ONE THAT FOR LONG DAYS HAD SATE 44
VOLUNTARY 45
ON NOW, ALTHOUGH THE YEAR BE DONE 47
IN THE GREEN AND GALLANT SPRING 47
DEATH, TO THE DEAD FOR EVERMORE 48
TO CHARLES BAXTER 49
I WHO ALL THE WINTER THROUGH 52
LOVE, WHAT IS LOVE? 53
SOON OUR FRIENDS PERISH 53
AS ONE WHO HAVING WANDERED ALL NIGHT LONG 53
STRANGE ARE THE WAYS OF MEN 55
THE WIND BLEW SHRILL AND SMART 56
MAN SAILS THE DEEP AWHILE 57
THE COCK’S CLEAR VOICE INTO THE CLEARER AIR 58
NOW WHEN THE NUMBER OF MY YEARS 59
WHAT MAN MAY LEARN, WHAT MAN MAY DO 60
SMALL IS THE TRUST WHEN LOVE IS GREEN 61
KNOW YOU THE RIVER NEAR TO GREZ 62
IT’S FORTH ACROSS THE ROARING FOAM 63
AN ENGLISH BREEZE 65
AS IN THEIR FLIGHT THE BIRDS OF SONG 66
THE PIPER 67
TO MRS. MACMARLAND 58
TO MISS CORNISH 69
TALES OF ARABIA 71
BEHOLD, AS GOBLINS DARK OF MIEN 72
STILL I LOVE TO RHYME 73
LONG TIME I LAY IN LITTLE EASE 74
FLOWER GOD, GOD OF THE SPRING 75
COME, MY BELOVED, HEAR FROM ME 76
SINCE YEARS AGO FOR EVERMORE 77
ENVOY FOR “A CHILD’S GARDEN OF VERSES” 78
FOR RICHMOND’S GARDEN WALL 80
HAIL, GUEST, AND ENTER FREELY! 80
LO, NOW, MY GUEST 81
SO LIVE, SO LOVE, SO USE THAT FRAGILE HOUR 81
AD SE IPSUM 82
BEFORE THIS LITTLE GIFT WAS COME 82
GO, LITTLE BOOK—THE ANCIENT PHRASE 83
MY LOVE WAS WARM 84
DEDICATORY POEM FOR “UNDERWOODS” 85
FAREWELL 86
THE FAR-FARERS 87
COME, MY LITTLE CHILDREN, HERE ARE SONGS FOR YOU 87
HOME FROM THE DAISIED MEADOWS 88
EARLY IN THE MORNING I HEAR ON YOUR PIANO 88
FAIR ISLE AT SEA 89
LOUD AND LOW IN THE CHIMNEY 89
I LOVE TO BE WARM BY THE RED FIRESIDE 90
AT LAST SHE COMES 90
MINE EYES WERE SWIFT TO KNOW THEE 90
FIXED IS THE DOOM 91
MEN ARE HEAVEN’S PIERS 92
THE ANGLER ROSE, HE TOOK HIS ROD 93
SPRING CAROL 94
TO WHAT SHALL I COMPARE HER 95
WHEN THE SUN COMES AFTER RAIN 96
LATE, O MILLER 97
TO FRIENDS AT HOME 97
I, WHOM APOLLO SOMETIME VISITED 98
TEMPEST TOSSED AND SORE AFFLICTED 98
VARIANT FORM OF THE PRECEDING POEM 99
I NOW, O FRIEND, WHOM NOISELESSLY THE SNOWS 100
SINCE THOU HAST GIVEN ME THIS GOOD HOPE, O GOD 103
GOD GAVE TO ME A CHILD IN PART 104
OVER THE LAND IS APRIL 105
LIGHT AS THE LINNET ON MY WAY I START 106
COMIC, HERE IS ADIEU TO THE CITY 106
IT BLOWS A SNOWING GALE 107
NE SIT ANCILLÆ TIBI AMOR PUDOR 107
TO ALL THAT LOVE THE FAR AND BLUE 108
THOU STRAINEST THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN FERN 110
TO ROSABELLE 111
NOW BARE TO THE BEHOLDER’S EYE 112
THE BOUR-TREE DEN 114
SONNETS 118
FRAGMENTS 123
AIR OF DIABELLI’S 128
EPITAPHIUM EROTII 132
DE M. ANTONIO 133
AD MAGISTRUM LUDI 133
AD NEPOTEM 134
IN CHARIDEMUM 135
DE LIGURRA 135
IN LUPUM 136
AD QUINTILIANUM 137
DE HORTIS JULII MARTIALIS 137
AD MARTIALEM 139
IN MAXIMUM 139
AD OLUM 140
DE CŒNATIONE MICÆ 140
DE EROTIO PUELLA 141
AD PISCATOREM 141

PRAYER

I ASK good things that I detest,
With speeches fair;
Heed not, I pray Thee, Lord, my breast,
But hear my prayer.

Explanation

Detailed Explanation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s "Prayer"

Context & Background

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) is best known for his adventure novels (Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), but he was also a prolific poet. New Poems, and Variant Readings (1887) is a collection of his later verse, blending Romantic lyricism with introspective, often melancholic, reflections on faith, love, and human frailty. Stevenson, raised in a devout Presbyterian household, struggled with religious doubt—a tension that surfaces in "Prayer."

This poem is a short, paradoxical meditation on the nature of prayer, where the speaker acknowledges the hypocrisy of his own petitions while still appealing to God. It reflects Stevenson’s recurring themes of duality, self-awareness, and the gap between human intention and divine understanding.

Textual Analysis

I ASK good things that I detest,With speeches fair;Heed not, I pray Thee, Lord, my breast,But hear my prayer.

1. Structure & Form

Quatrain (4-line stanza) with an ABAB rhyme scheme (detest/fair, breast/prayer).
Iambic trimeter (three stressed syllables per line: I ASK good THINGS that I deTEST), giving it a hymn-like, rhythmic quality—fitting for a prayer.
The brevity and symmetry mirror the simplicity of a supplicant’s plea, yet the content is psychologically complex.

2. Themes

Hypocrisy in Faith: The speaker admits to asking for "good things" he actually despises, suggesting a disconnect between his words and true desires.
- "Speeches fair" implies empty, performative piety—a critique of ritualistic prayer devoid of sincerity.
Divine Omniscience vs. Human Frailty: The speaker acknowledges God’s knowledge of his heart ("Heed not... my breast") but still begs to be heard.
- This tension reflects Calvinist anxiety (Stevenson’s upbringing) about predestination and unworthiness.
Paradox of Prayer: The poem undermines itself—if God knows the speaker’s true feelings, why pray? Yet the act of praying persists, suggesting faith as an instinct, not just logic.

3. Literary Devices

Irony & Paradox:
- The speaker asks for things he hates, yet pleads to be heard—a contradiction that highlights the absurdity of human supplication.
- The prayer denies its own sincerity ("Heed not my breast") while demanding divine attention ("hear my prayer").
Juxtaposition:
- "Good things" vs. "I detest" → moral conflict.
- "Speeches fair" (outward show) vs. "my breast" (inner truth).
Apostrophe: Direct address to God ("Lord") creates intimacy and urgency, despite the speaker’s admitted insincerity.
Alliteration & Assonance:
- "speeches fair" (soft 's' and 'f' sounds) → superficial sweetness.
- "Heed not... breast" (harsh 't' and 'd' sounds) → internal discord.

4. Significance & Interpretation

Existential Honesty: Unlike traditional prayers that affirm faith, this one questions it. The speaker doesn’t pretend to be virtuous—he admits his flaws upfront, making the prayer more human than holy.
Stevenson’s Religious Struggle: The poem reflects his lifelong tension with Presbyterianism. He often wrote about doubt, fate, and the search for meaning ("The Vanquished Knight" in the same collection explores similar themes).
Universal Appeal: The poem resonates with anyone who has felt conflicted in faith—whether due to guilt, doubt, or the gap between aspiration and reality.

5. Possible Influences & Comparisons

Biblical Echoes:
- "The Lord seeth not as man seeth" (1 Samuel 16:7) → God judges the heart, not outward shows.
- "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24) → A prayer of doubt within faith.
Metaphysical Poets (Donne, Herbert):
- Like George Herbert’s "The Collar" (where the speaker rebels against God before submitting), Stevenson’s poem grapples with divine authority.
Romantic Introspection (Wordsworth, Coleridge):
- The focus on inner conflict and natural honesty aligns with Romantic ideals of authentic emotion over dogma.

Conclusion: Why This Poem Matters

"Prayer" is a microcosm of Stevenson’s spiritual restlessness. In just four lines, it:

Exposes the hypocrisy of religious performance,
Acknowledges human weakness, yet
Persists in seeking divine connection.

It’s a prayer about the impossibility of prayer—a meta-devotional that questions whether God even wants our flawed supplications. Yet, by writing the prayer, the speaker (and Stevenson) affirms the act itself, suggesting that the struggle to pray is itself a form of faith.

In a broader sense, the poem challenges the reader: Do we pray for what we truly want, or what we think we should want? And if God knows our hearts, why do we bother with words at all? Stevenson leaves the question unanswered, making the poem hauntingly open-ended.

Final Thought

This tiny poem is deceptively profound. It doesn’t offer comfort—it demands self-examination. In that way, it’s more honest than most prayers, and perhaps, in its very imperfection, more true.

Questions

Question 1

The poem’s speaker undermines the conventional purpose of prayer by doing all of the following EXCEPT:

A. admitting a disconnect between his stated desires and his true feelings.
B. implying that divine attention is contingent on rhetorical performance rather than sincerity.
C. framing his appeal as a paradox that collapses the distinction between piety and hypocrisy.
D. suggesting that the act of praying is inherently futile if God already knows the supplicant’s heart.
E. asserting that his prayers are morally virtuous despite his awareness of their insincerity.

Question 2

The phrase "speeches fair" (line 2) primarily serves to:

A. evoke the musicality of liturgical language, reinforcing the poem’s hymn-like structure.
B. contrast the beauty of prayer with the ugliness of the speaker’s hidden intentions.
C. suggest that the speaker’s words are carefully crafted to deceive both God and himself.
D. highlight the futility of human language in communicating with the divine.
E. underscore the performative, almost theatrical nature of the speaker’s supplication.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the poem’s treatment of the relationship between human agency and divine omniscience?

A. The speaker assumes God’s indifference, rendering human agency irrelevant to the outcome of prayer.
B. The speaker acknowledges God’s knowledge of his insincerity but persists in praying, implying a tension between free will and predestination.
C. The poem resolves the conflict by suggesting that God values human effort over moral purity.
D. The speaker’s plea for God to ignore his true feelings implies a belief in human autonomy over divine judgment.
E. The poem presents prayer as a futile act, given that God’s foreknowledge nullifies the possibility of genuine supplication.

Question 4

The poem’s brevity and structural symmetry most effectively contribute to its:

A. ironic undermining of the grandeur typically associated with devotional poetry.
B. reinforcement of the speaker’s sincerity, as concise language leaves no room for deception.
C. imitation of the rigid, formulaic nature of traditional prayers, which the speaker critiques.
D. creation of a sense of urgency, as if the speaker fears divine punishment for his hypocrisy.
E. emphasis on the speaker’s intellectual detachment from the emotional weight of his confession.

Question 5

If the poem were expanded into a longer meditation on faith, which of the following thematic developments would be MOST consistent with its current implications?

A. An exploration of whether God prefers honesty in prayer, even if it reveals moral failings, over performative but insincere devotion.
B. A narrative in which the speaker abandons prayer altogether, concluding that divine silence renders it meaningless.
C. A defense of ritualistic prayer as a necessary discipline, regardless of the supplicant’s internal state.
D. A shift in tone toward self-loathing, as the speaker condemns himself for his inability to pray sincerely.
E. A resolution in which the speaker’s doubts are alleviated by a sudden, unearned divine revelation.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: E

Why E is most correct: The speaker never claims his prayers are morally virtuous; in fact, he explicitly admits their insincerity ("I ask good things that I detest"). The poem hinges on the contradiction between his words and his true feelings, making E the only option that contradicts the text’s self-aware hypocrisy.