Bewailing the Pangs of Separation and Pining Awa

Name: Bewailing the Pangs of Separation and Pining Away
Author: Thiruvalluvar

The work explores the profound emotional turmoil experienced by a lover separated from their beloved. The speaker grapples with intense grief, likening it to an overflowing spring that cannot be contained. The struggle to conceal this sorrow becomes increasingly difficult, yet the idea of revealing it to the source of their pain feels shameful. The imagery of a heavy pole symbolizes the dual burdens of passion and delicacy, suggesting that the weight of these emotions is overwhelming. The speaker expresses a deep longing for connection, comparing their love to a vast sea, yet feeling stranded without a means to bridge the distance. The contrast between the joy of love and the agony of separation is stark, with the latter described as a burning pain that surpasses the initial bliss. The speaker feels isolated in their suffering, navigating a stormy sea of emotions without hope of reaching a comforting shore. Night, typically a time for rest, becomes a source of additional torment, as it drags on painfully slow, amplifying the sense of loneliness. The speaker yearns for the ability to physically reach their beloved, wishing their tears could carry them to the one they miss. Overall, the work captures the essence of longing and despair in love, illustrating the complexities of emotional attachment and the deep scars left by separation. The vivid metaphors and poignant reflections convey a universal experience of heartache, resonating with anyone who has faced the pain of lost love.

By Thiruvalluvar · First published 2004 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Literature, Philosophical Literature · 274 words

First lines

She

I smother my grief within me, but behold! it only welleth up more and more even as the water of the spring to those who are draining it.

To conceal my grief is now beyond me: but as to disclosing it, I should feel it a shame to speak of it even to him that caused it.

At the two ends of the pole which is my life, my two loads of passion and delicacy hang heavy; and this suffering body breaketh under their weight.55

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Bewailing the Pangs of Separation and Pining Away is listed on Textopian as a poem by Thiruvalluvar, dated 2004 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Thiruvalluvar
Date: 2004 CE
Language: English
Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Literature, Philosophical Literature, Tragic Literature, Classical Literature
Length: 274 words
Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Lyric Poetry — The work expresses deep personal emotions and reflections on love and separation, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Romantic Literature — The themes of love, longing, and emotional turmoil align closely with the conventions of romantic literature.
Philosophical Literature — The exploration of suffering and the nature of love suggests philosophical underpinnings regarding human emotions.
Tragic Literature — The intense feelings of grief and despair indicate elements of tragedy in the narrative.