Synthesized answer
The speaker's declaration, "I am the singer who of late put by / The verse azulean and the chant profane" [1], reveals a deliberate shift in artistic style, moving away from what could be interpreted as a more superficial or less profound form of poetry. He contrasts this with his former self, who was "Lord was I of my garden-place of dreams, / Of heaping roses and swan-haunted brakes" [1], suggesting a past focus on idealized or perhaps decorative themes.
This shift indicates an evolving poetic identity that is seeking something deeper. The passages suggest a movement towards sincerity and a rejection of "literature's pretence" [2]. The speaker expresses a desire to be "sincere" and to make his spirit "a star, a fountain music-drawn" [3], indicating a newfound emphasis on authenticity and a more profound artistic expression. The passages do not explicitly detail what "verse azulean" or "chant profane" specifically entailed, but they do indicate a departure from them towards a more genuine and strong artistic voice [3].
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
← Autumnal Eleven Poems by Rubén Darío , translated by Thomas Walsh and Salomón de la Selva Portico The Three Wise Kings → 5142515 Eleven Poems — Portico Thomas Walsh and Salomón de la Selva Rubén Darío Portico ( Translated by Thomas Walsh) I am the singer who of late put by The verse azulean and the chant profane, Across whose nights a rossignol would cry And prove himself a lark at morn again. Lord was I of my garden-place of dreams, Of heaping roses and swan-haunted brakes; Lord of the doves; lord of the silver streams, Of gondolas and lilies on the lakes. And very eighteenth century;…
t on the statue suddenly were born The muscled goat-thighs shaggy and immense, And on the brow the satyr's pair of horn. As Gongora's Galatea, so in fine The fair marquise of Verlaine captured me; And so unto the passion half divine Was joined a human sensuality; All longing and all ardor, the mere sense And natural vigor; and without a sign Of stage effect or literature's pretence— If there is ever a soul sincere—'tis mine. The ivory tower awakened my desire; I longed to enclose myself in selfish bliss, Yet hungered after space, my thirst on fire For heaven, from out the shades of my…
e the inner radiance infinite; Art, pure as Christ, is heartened to exclaim: I am indeed the Life, the Truth, the Light! The Life is mystery; the Light is blind; The Truth beyond our reach both daunts and fades; The sheer perfection nowhere do we find; The ideal sleeps, a secret, in the shades. Therefore to be sincere is to be strong. Bare as it is, what glimmer hath the star; The water tells the fountain's soul in song And voice of crystal flowing out afar. Such my intent was,—of my spirit pure To make a star, a fountain music-drawn, With horror of the thing called literature— And mad with…
outh bestrode a colt without a rein; Intoxicate I went, a belted blade with me; If I fell not—'twas God who did sustain. Within my garden stood a statue fair, Of marble seeming, yet of flesh and bone; A gentle spirit was incarnate there Of sensitive and sentimental tone. So timid of the world, it fain would hide And from its walls of silence issue not, Save when the Spring released upon its tide The hour of melody it had begot— The hour of sunset and of hidden kiss; The hour of gloaming twilight and retreat; The hour of madrigal, the hour of bliss, Of "I adore thee" and "Alas" too sweet.…
← Portico Eleven Poems by Rubén Darío , translated by Thomas Walsh and Salomón de la Selva The Three Wise Kings Song of Hope → 5142521 Eleven Poems — The Three Wise Kings Thomas Walsh and Salomón de la Selva Rubén Darío The Three Wise Kings M y name is Kaspar. I the incense bear. The glamour of the Star has made me wise. I say that love is vaster than the skies. And God exists. And Life is pure and fair. —My name is Melchior. And my myrrh scents all. There is God. He is the light of morn. The fairest blossoms from the dust are born, And joy is shadowed by a threatful pall. —My name is…
More questions about this book
- How do the brief descriptions of Gabriela Mistral's "Poema de Chile" and Rubén Darío's "Eleven Poems" hint at different approaches to themes of national identity or the role of a poet in early 20th-century Latin American literature?
- Explain how the description of the woman in "Poema de Chile" as a "fantasma o 'trascordada'" and the "contrapunto" of voices, combined with the journey through "claves genéricas, étnicas y políticas," could create a multifaceted commentary on Chilean history and identity.
- In "A Sonnet on Cervantes," Darío describes reaping "rich delight" from Cervantes' "deathless sorrow" and "laughter from a madness so divine." How does this use of paradox deepen the speaker's appreciation for Cervantes' legacy, and what does it suggest about the enduring power of literary works?
- Considering the specific translators and introducers mentioned for Darío's "Eleven Poems," how might their involvement be crucial in shaping the reception and interpretation of complex Latin American poetry for an international audience, particularly given the rich cultural references implied in both Darío's and Mistral's works?