Help me unravel the meaning of this poem?

  • juss an allycat
    19 years ago

    Grief
    I TELL you, hopeless grief is passionless;
    That only men incredulous of despair,
    Half-taught in anguish, through the midnight air
    Beat upward to God's throne in loud access
    Of shrieking and reproach. Full desertness,
    In souls as countries, lieth silent-bare
    Under the blanching, vertical eye-glare
    Of the absolute Heavens. Deep-hearted man, express
    Grief for thy Dead in silence like to death--
    Most like a monumental statue set
    In everlasting watch and moveless woe
    Till itself crumble to the dust beneath.
    Touch it; the marble eyelids are not wet:
    If it could weep, it could arise and go.

    This is elizabeth barrett browning's Grief. can someone please tell me what the meaning of this poem is/ i find the language hard to understand

  • juss an allycat
    19 years ago

    oh wow thats really detailed lol, thank you! let me clarify a few things, this big language is hurting my head lol.

    is this poem saying that to grieve, isnt something man asks for but a natural process. to move onto the next stage of your life, you must grieve, you must close the door behind you in order to open the one in front? that when you grieve in silence you the dead, you settingyour feelings in stone? that grief isnt something you can always explain, but others can see it. that man feels the cause of hus grief is god, and feels anger towards god because god is supposed to be protecting him. the only ma n that does not grieve is someone accustomed to living with/in pain.

    is this right? this poem, the language she uses is hard to unravel. please tell me if i'm on the right track?