BSc BA ADP English Notes Poem Snake (D. H. Lawrence) Reference Context Explanation

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Poem:

A snake came to my water-trough

On a hot, hot day, and I in pyjamas for the heat,

To drink there.

In the deep, strange-scented shade of the great dark carob tree

I came down the steps with my pitcher

And must wait, must stand and wait, for there he was at the trough

           before me.

He reached down from a fissure in the earth-wall in the gloom

And trailed his yellow-brown slackness soft-bellied down, over

           the edge of the stone trough

And rested his throat upon the stone bottom,

And where the water had dripped from the tap, in a small clearness,

He sipped with his straight mouth,

Softly drank through his straight gums, into his slack long body,

Silently.

Someone was before me at my water-trough,

And I, like a second-comer, waiting.

He lifted his head from his drinking, as cattle do,

And looked at me vaguely, as drinking cattle do,

And flickered his two-forked tongue from his lips, and mused

       a moment,

And stooped and drank a little more,

Being earth-brown, earth-golden from the burning bowels

           of the earth

On the day of Sicilian July, with Etna smoking.

The voice of my education said to me

He must be killed,

For in Sicily the black, black snakes are innocent, the gold

           are venomous.

And voices in me said, If you were a man

You would take a stick and break him now, and finish him off.

But must I confess how I liked him,

How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet, to drink

           at my water-trough

And depart peaceful, pacified, and thankless,

Into the burning bowels of this earth?

Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?

Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him?

Was it humility, to feel so honoured?

I felt so honoured.

And yet those voices:

If you were not afraid, you would kill him!

And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid,

But even so, honoured still more

That he should seek my hospitality

From out the dark door of the secret earth.

 

He drank enough

And lifted his head, dreamily, as one who has drunken,

And flickered his tongue like a forked night on the air, so black,

Seeming to lick his lips,

And looked around like a god, unseeing, into the air,

And slowly turned his head,

And slowly, very slowly, as if thrice a dream,

Proceeded to draw his slow length curving round

And climb again the broken bank of my wall-face.

And as he put his head into that dreadful hole,

And as he slowly drew up, snake-easing his shoulders,

           and entered farther,

A sort of horror, a sort of protest against his withdrawing into

           that horrid black hole,

Deliberately going into the blackness, and slowly drawing

           himself after,

Overcame me now his back was turned.

I looked round, I put down my pitcher,

I picked up a clumsy log

And threw it at the water-trough with a clatter.

I think it did not hit him,

But suddenly that part of him that was left behind convulsed

           in an undignified haste,

Writhed like lightning, and was gone

Into the black hole, the earth-lipped fissure in the wall-front,

At which, in the intense still noon, I stared with fascination.

And immediately I regretted it.

I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!

I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education.

And I thought of the albatross,

And I wished he would come back, my snake.

For he seemed to me again like a king,

Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,

Now due to be crowned again.

And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords

Of life.

And I have something to expiate:

A pettiness.

Reference, Context and Explanation:

Lines 1-3: A snake ... drink there.

A snake came to my water-trough

On a hot, hot day, and I in pyjamas for the heat,

To drink there.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet tells us that it was a very hot day in summer. Due to excessive heat he had put off his formal dress and was in his pajamas. He came to his water-trough to get water. He saw that a snake was already present there to drink water.

Lines 4-7: In the deep ... before me.

In the deep, strange-scented shade of the great dark carob tree

I came down the steps with my pitcher

And must wait, must stand and wait, for there he was at the trough

           before me.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet had arrived down the stairs into his lawn where there was a great dark carob-tree with its strange smell. He had a pitcher in his hand. But he had to wait there for his turn because the snake was already there before him.

Lines 8-14: He reached down ... silently.

He reached down from a fissure in the earth-wall in the gloom

And trailed his yellow-brown slackness soft-bellied down, over

           the edge of the stone trough

And rested his throat upon the stone bottom,

And where the water had dripped from the tap, in a small clearness,

He sipped with his straight mouth,

Softly drank through his straight gums, into his slack long body,

Silently.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The snake had arrived out of a dark crack in the mud-wall. He had come out of that slowly with his yellow, long, soft body. Now he had reached the side of the stone trough and was resting his throat at the bottom of the stone-trough. The water was falling from a tap into the trough and at that place the snake was sipping water directly from the place with a strange quiteness.

Lines 15-16: Someone was ... waiting.

Someone was before me at my water-trough,

And I, like a second-comer, waiting.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet saw the snake that had reached the water trough before him. So he had to wait for his turn as a late-comer.

Lines 17-22: He lifted his head ... Etna smoking.

He lifted his head from his drinking, as cattle do,

And looked at me vaguely, as drinking cattle do,

And flickered his two-forked tongue from his lips, and mused

       a moment,

And stooped and drank a little more,

Being earth-brown, earth-golden from the burning bowels

           of the earth

On the day of Sicilian July, with Etna smoking.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The snake lifted its head from the water-trough as cattle (cows, buffaloes etc.) do. It looked above like drinking cattle with unclear eyes. Then it moved/waved its forked tongue and paused for a while. Later on, it drank a little more water. The poet then noticed its color which was earth-brown or gold-brown perhaps because of living under the hot earth. That was a very hot day in July and the city (Etna) was rather too hot to bear.

Lines 23-27: The voice of ... him off.

The voice of my education said to me

He must be killed,

For in Sicily the black, black snakes are innocent, the gold

           are venomous.

And voices in me said, If you were a man

You would take a stick and break him now, and finish him off.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

As the poet was an educated and civilized person, he thought that he should kill the snake. The black snakes were not poisonous in Sicily whereas the golden snakes were poisonous and it was a golden snake. The voice of education said to him from inside that if he was a brave man, he should take a stick and kill the snake.

Lines 28-29: But must I ... water trough.

But must I confess how I liked him,

How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet, to drink

           at my water-trough

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet says that when his voice of education and civilization told him to kill the snake, he did not kill it. The reason was that the snake seemed to be beautiful to him. Moreover, the snake had come to drink water at his trough, therefore, it was his guest. Killing a guest was very bad. So he did not like the idea of killing the snake.

Lines 30-35: And depart peaceful ... honoured.

And depart peaceful, pacified, and thankless,

Into the burning bowels of this earth?

Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?

Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him?

Was it humility, to feel so honoured?

I felt so honoured.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet felt that the snake was (a sort of) his guest. It would go peacefully and quietly after drinking water. It would go into its own underground hole. So he left it. He did not leave the snake due to his cowardice. He did not leave it due to his own obstinacy. He was rather feeling honored to have the snake at his water-trough as a guest. He was feeling very honored in the service of the snake.

Lines 36-37: And yet those ... kill him!

And yet those voices:

If you were not afraid, you would kill him!

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet again heard the voice of his education that asked him to kill the snake. The voice told him that he must kill it if he was not a coward and if he did not feel afraid of it.

Lines 38-41: And truly I ... secret earth.

And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid,

But even so, honoured still more

That he should seek my hospitality

From out the dark door of the secret earth.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet tried to analyze his feelings. He came to know that he was really afraid, rather very afraid, of the snake. Still he did not kill the snake because he felt that he was the host and the snake was the guest. It had come out of its dark hole from inside the earth in order to enjoy his hospitality.

Lines 42-50: He drank ... my wall face.

He drank enough

And lifted his head, dreamily, as one who has drunken,

And flickered his tongue like a forked night on the air, so black,

Seeming to lick his lips,

And looked around like a god, unseeing, into the air,

And slowly turned his head,

And slowly, very slowly, as if thrice a dream,

Proceeded to draw his slow length curving round

And climb again the broken bank of my wall-face.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet tells us that the snake drank much water. After drinking water, it lifted its head up dreamily and heavily like a drunk person. It waved its forked tongue on its lips as if to lick. It was as black as night. The poet calls is a forked night, i.e., he makes the snake embodied into a night itself. Then the snake began to look all around itself without caring for anything. It did not attend to anything particular. It seemed to survey all the things like a master. Then it curved around its length slowly. It started to climb upon the slope of the broken mud-wall in front of him. It went towards the crack in the wall from where it had come out for drinking water.

Lines 51-55: And as he put ... was turned.

And as he put his head into that dreadful hole,

And as he slowly drew up, snake-easing his shoulders,

           and entered farther,

A sort of horror, a sort of protest against his withdrawing into

           that horrid black hole,

Deliberately going into the blackness, and slowly drawing

           himself after,

Overcame me now his back was turned.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

When the snake put its head into its dark hole and it tried to take the rest of its body inside that, the poet felt a sort of horror. He could not tolerate that anything so beautiful and lord-like should enter inside a black and ugly place like the underground hole.

Lines 56-58: I looked around ... with a clatter.

I looked round, I put down my pitcher,

I picked up a clumsy log

And threw it at the water-trough with a clatter.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet put down his pitcher and looked around him to find something to hit the snake. He saw an ugly stick, picked it up and threw it at the trough with a noise.

Lines 59-63: I think it ... with facination.

I think it did not hit him,

But suddenly that part of him that was left behind convulsed

           in an undignified haste,

Writhed like lightning, and was gone

Into the black hole, the earth-lipped fissure in the wall-front,

At which, in the intense still noon, I stared with fascination.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet thought/saw that the stick which he threw at the trough did not hit the snake. But due to the noise the snake got startled and that part of its body which was still outside the hole, writhed in an undignified way. Later, the snake disappeared into the hole with the speed of lightning. The hole was like a crack with earthen lips in the mud wall. The poet watched this new movement of the snake in that hot silent noon with a sort of charmed happiness.

Lines 64-66: And immediately ... human education.

And immediately I regretted it.

I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!

I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet began to feel regret immediately at hitting the snake. He thought that he had committed a very low and mean action by striking it. So he felt a hatred for himself as well as for his voice of education that had asked him to kill it because it was poisonous.

Lines 67-71: And I thought ... crowned again.

And I thought of the albatross,

And I wished he would come back, my snake.

For he seemed to me again like a king,

Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,

Now due to be crowned again.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet thought about the innocent sea-bird, albatross, that was killed by the sailor in Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". As a result, he began to wish that the snake should return from its hole and he should honor it. The snake seemed to the poet like a king of the under-ground world that had come to the earth leaving its kingdom temporarily and had entered inside the earth again to get its crown back.

Lines 72-75: And so, I missed ... pettiness.

And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords

Of life.

And I have something to expiate:

A pettiness.

Reference: 

These lines have been taken from "Snake" written by D. H. Lawrence.

Context: 

The poet tells us in this poem about the arrival of a snake at his water-trough on a hot July day to drink water. The poem consists of different changing sentiments and responses of the poet about and towards the snake.

Explanation:

The poet felt that he had missed a good opportunity of meeting with an under-ground lord. He missed the opportunity of knowing and understanding a beautiful, honorable, lordly creature. So he wanted to have a penance for his sin. He felt guilty of committing a mean action.