Why hang'st thou lonely on yon withered bough?
Unstrung for ever, must thou there remain;
Thy music once was sweet — who hears it now?
Why doth the breeze sigh over thee in vain?
Silence hath bound thee with her fatal chain;
Neglected, mute, and desolate art thou,
Like ruined monument on desert plain:
O! many a hand more worthy far than mine
Once thy harmonious chords to sweetness gave,
And many a wreath for them did Fame entwine
Of flowers still blooming on the minstrel's grave:
Those hands are cold — but if thy notes divine
May be by mortal wakened once again,
Harp of my country, let me strike the strain!
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I supposed the positive in this poem is the fact that the poet is able to play something on the harp. He begins with an action of change; he no longer wishes the harp to remain as a fossil hung on a dying branch. Life returns to the harp, however crudely, by his efforts, his voice, his passion. Reading the poet's bio tends to confirm my opinion of this poem. Derozio had a way of influencing the young with his political/religious ideals. The harp, of course, is symbolic of a country that lost vision. The last line clearly indicates that the poet will pick up where the ancients left off. He will awaken people to think, to hear again, the music of reason and change. One can easily apply this poem to other movers and shakers, i.e. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; Ghandi, Nelson Mendela, etc.
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hey..this poem is us amazin!!! love da english used
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The poet sounds quite depressed and not very hopeful for his country's future. Nature too seems to have forsaken the harp.
The usage of adjectives like mute,neglected,desolate,ruined reveal the depth of his loss.
If someone can show me the bright side of this poem and how the poet hopes to revive and resusitate his beloved country-I would be very grateful.
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