Poetry · Chapter
Old Man explained
The speaker reflects on the herb known as 'Old Man' or 'Lad's-love,' its names both decorating and perplexing its essence.
What happens
The speaker reflects on the herb known as 'Old Man' or 'Lad's-love,' its names both decorating and perplexing its essence. He dislikes the scent yet cherishes it for its elusive connection to memory, watching a child who clips the bush without words. The speaker tries in vain to recall what the bitter scent evokes, sensing a lost memory that remains just out of reach, leaving only a dark, nameless avenue.
Themes in this chapter
Memory and Time
The speaker's struggle to recall a lost memory tied to the scent of Old Man, emphasizing the gap between past and present.
Language and Poetry
The names 'Old Man' and 'Lad's-love' are examined for how they decorate and perplex the herb's true nature, reflecting on the power and limitation of language.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“I have mislaid the key. I sniff the spray And think of nothing; I see and I hear nothing; Yet seem, too, to be listening, lying in wait For what I should, yet never can, remember”
I have lost the clue to the memory. I inhale the scent and think of nothing, perceiving nothing, yet I feel as if I am poised, waiting for a recollection that I ought to have but can never retrieve.
The speaker's futile attempt to recover a forgotten memory triggered by the herb's scent.