Words for an Old Air by Sara Teasdale
The poem explores themes of emotional entrapment and the complexities of love. The speaker conveys a sense of being bound by their feelings, suggesting that beauty and love are not easily attainable. The heart is depicted as ensnared, indicating a struggle between desire and the constraints imposed by past experiences or relationships. The imagery of a "bleeding hand" symbolizes pain and sacrifice, emphasizing that the bonds of love can be both beautiful and painful. The speaker acknowledges that despite the allure of beauty, it cannot easily liberate them from their emotional ties. The knot represents a deep-seated connection that remains intact, regardless of external perceptions or derision. The poem reflects on the idea that those who withhold affection or love create a powerful hold over the one yearning for it. This dynamic creates a tension between longing and the inability to break free from emotional constraints. The speaker's voice is one of resignation, recognizing that the struggle for freedom from these ties is fraught with difficulty. Overall, the work delves into the intricate relationship between beauty, desire, and emotional bondage, illustrating how love can simultaneously uplift and confine. The speaker's introspection reveals a profound understanding of the complexities of human emotions, highlighting the often painful reality of unfulfilled longing.
By Sara Teasdale · First published 1920 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Modernism · 95 words
First lines
Your heart is bound tightly, let / Beauty beware, / It is not hers to set / Free from the snare.
Tell her a bleeding hand / Bound it and tied it, / Tell her the knot will stand / Though she deride it;
One who withheld so long / All that you yearned to take, / Has made a snare too strong / For Beauty's self to break.
What this Textopian page supports
Words for an Old Air is listed on Textopian as a poem by Sara Teasdale, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Sara Teasdale
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Modernism, Symbolism, Nature Poetry
- Length: 95 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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- Work identity for Words for an Old Air by Sara Teasdale
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is characterized by personal expression and emotional depth, typical of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of beauty, longing, and emotional intensity align with Romantic ideals.
- Modernism — The exploration of complex emotions and individual experience reflects modernist tendencies.
- Symbolism — The use of metaphor and imagery to convey deeper meanings is indicative of Symbolist poetry.
Tags
poetry · Sara Teasdale · emotions · beauty · heart · love · yearning · suffering · nature · freedom · constraint · art