My 100th post - Porphyria's lover

Sunday, April 23, 2023 , 17 Comments


I started my blog with a prayer to Muse on Jan 7, 2008.

I wanted my 100th post to be special... special to me. Though I call my scribbles poems, I love to read poems from a old poetry collection of mine.

Porphyria's lover by Robert Browning is the one I go to, when I am distressed, when I am happy and when I am anything in between.

Publishing the poem here, my way of sharing it to my readers.

My friend read it out for me and I am adding that record here, he had given life to this poem. "Thank you so much and God bless you dear. You can't even guess how happy you made me! Thanks for your time."

But his first reaction was, "The guy is crazy and you call this poem your favourite?". Yes. It's a favourite poem of mine, the hero of the poem behaves like a psycho. But the delivery of this poem and the shock we get out of those lines is where Browning's success lie. The anger and helplessness we feel is what Browning set out to achieve and he did just that.

It goes this way!

Poetry recital



Porphyria's lover


THE rain set early in to-night,
The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite,
And did its worst to vex the lake:
I listen'd with heart fit to break.
When glided in Porphyria; straight
She shut the cold out and the storm,
And kneel'd and made the cheerless grate
Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;
Which done, she rose, and from her form
Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,
And laid her soil'd gloves by, untied
Her hat and let the damp hair fall,
And, last, she sat down by my side
And call'd me. When no voice replied,
She put my arm about her waist,
And made her smooth white shoulder bare,
And all her yellow hair displaced,
And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,
And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair,
Murmuring how she loved me—she
Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour,
To set its struggling passion free
From pride, and vainer ties dissever,
And give herself to me for ever.
But passion sometimes would prevail,
Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain
A sudden thought of one so pale
For love of her, and all in vain:
So, she was come through wind and rain.
Be sure I look'd up at her eyes
Happy and proud; at last I knew
Porphyria worshipp'd me; surprise
Made my heart swell, and still it grew
While I debated what to do.
That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
Perfectly pure and good: I found
A thing to do, and all her hair
In one long yellow string I wound
Three times her little throat around,
And strangled her. No pain felt she;
I am quite sure she felt no pain.
As a shut bud that holds a bee,
I warily opened her lids: again
Laugh'd the blue eyes without a stain.
And I untighten'd next the tress
About her neck; her cheek once more
Blush'd bright beneath my burning kiss:
I propp'd her head up as before,
Only, this time my shoulder bore
Her head, which droops upon it still:
The smiling rosy little head,
So glad it has its utmost will,
That all it scorn'd at once is fled,
And I, its love, am gain'd instead!
Porphyria's love: she guess'd not how
Her darling one wish would be heard.
And thus we sit together now,
And all night long we have not stirr'd,
And yet God has not said a word!

-Robert Browning

Viji

Some say he’s half man half fish, others say he’s more of a seventy/thirty split. Either way he’s a fishy bastard. Google

17 Candles:

Prabodh said...

Whoa 100th Post !!!!Thts cool and Congrats. Well I hope U soon reach the 1000. To be honest ur post are really Good. and wish more to keep coming. So we should Thank you for this 100 wonderful post.

Shadow said...

congratulations on your 100th post. and what a poem to go with it!

Viji said...

Thanks Prabodh... for almost 2 years 100 is quite less. Still I needed to fill up the space and 100 is just an excuse :) Feel really happy that someone finds my blog interesting.

Viji said...

Thanks shadow... yeah that's a lovely poem.

Opaque said...

Congrats! Thanks for sharing this piece!

Viji said...

thank you ajey :)

This sounds creepy to me. Browning's style. My God!

Viji said...

:) every poetry has its own charm. there is something called dark poetry, have you read such poems? they are more creepy but exciting and interesting too...

Congrats Viji.....its been a long journey (I didnt feel tired,with this jus 100 sweet miles)...way to go more, and am prepared for an endless journey....!!!!

Anonymous said...

I have not read such before, so thank you. Beautiful words, you.

Hey Viji, Forgot to Congratualate you on your 100th post!

Wishing you more such wonderful posts! Your blog is real lovely read, with variety.

Viji said...

thank you Sundar for your kind words...

Viji said...

thank you Saraha

Viji said...

thank you Deva

If i count your no. of post from the LHS Index. This one is 98 Post...

Is it my calculation mistake... ???

Viji said...

no srik... not a mistake... only that two of my posts i've put it back in edit mode... need to fine tune :) I cheked my dashboard, total posts 101...

A Blip said...

I loved it.. Kinda dark yeah.. But Browning knows how to write..And u do have a very classy taste viji ;)

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