Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Dora Sigerson Shorter's poem, "The One Forgotten," is a poignant piece that captures the thin veil between the living and the dead on All Souls' Eve. The poem illustrates a spirit's attempt to reach out to the living, emphasizing the themes of memory, connection, aging, and longing.

Themes

Memory and Forgetting:

The spirit's return and the family's inability to recognize or remember the presence underscore a painful forgetfulness. The old man's recollection and subsequent remorse show how memory can be both a source of connection and a painful reminder of what has been lost.

The Intersection of the Spiritual and Physical Worlds:

The spirit's interaction with the physical realm - tapping on the door, singing, and even touching a shoulder - illustrates the ethereal connection that exists between the spiritual and earthly planes, particularly emphasized on All Souls' Eve.

Aging and Youth:

The contrast between the old man's nostalgic grief and the young maidens' playful dismissal of his feelings encapsulates the generational gap and differing perceptions of mortality and remembrance.

Structure and Style

The poem's stanzas follow a rhyme scheme of ABCBDCEC. This complex rhyme scheme offers a harmonious and melodic quality to the poem, underscoring the supernatural and ethereal theme. The sophistication of the rhyme scheme also mirrors the complexity of the poem's subject matter: the tension between memory and forgetfulness, presence and absence, love and loss.

The language is rich in sensory imagery, with auditory elements like singing, tapping, and the wind's sound, and visual cues like the glowing fire and the moon's pale light. This vivid imagery serves to blur the boundaries between the spiritual and the tangible.

Historical and Cultural Context

All Souls' Eve, or All Hallows' Eve, is a time when the veil between the living and the dead is believed to be at its thinnest. The Irish folklore of the banshee sobbing past the door and the traditional practice of leaving a chair for a deceased loved one enhance the poem's cultural resonance.

Conclusion

"The One Forgotten" by Dora Sigerson Shorter masterfully explores the human connections that transcend death and the pain of forgetfulness. Through its rich imagery, melodic structure, and thematic depth, the poem speaks to universal experiences of memory, longing, and the sometimes fragile connections between generations.

The poem's ultimate impact lies in its ability to evoke both the mystical allure of the spiritual world and the very human emotions of longing and remorse. It serves as a reminder of our connections to those who have passed and our responsibility to remember and honor them.

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...