CAI Lab assignment 10/9/08

1. Luke Havergal is near death. He loves someone who has already passed. He is hopeful that when he too passes into the beyond she will be there to greet him.

2. What is the significance of the name "Havergal"? Is it to indicate the obvious? Is Luke Havergal going to heaven or hell? Is the voice that of an angel, of god, or something else, like that of a loved one, a wife perhaps? What is the significance of of the life "hell is more than half of paradise?" Who is the speaker? What is their relationship to Luke? What is the nature of the poem, is it advice, coaching, or to torment?

3. Many: Luke, the speaker, the "her" that the leaves whisper of, and God.

4. I would argue that you don't find out much about each character. I don't feel like I get a sense of who Luke is: is he an old man? is he sick? The speaker, I feel, is already dead, but is a different person than the voice Luke wants to hear. Then there is God, who is slaying himself with every leaf that flies, which, what does THAT mean?

5. Significant images about time/season: western gate, western glooms, not a dawn in eastern skies (sun starts in the east, sets in the west indicating end of journey or life progression), vines are crimson, indicating fall, heading into winter b/c the leaves have begun to drop and are being torn away by bad weather (winter).

6. The significance is to reference death, life ending, or perhaps the end of a journey of the metaphysical nature.

7. I feel that "western gate" is meant to indicate the passage from life to death. Perhaps another metaphor or play on the term gate, like heaven's gate, pearly gates, Saint Peter's gate, etc.

8. The poem's speaker is dead as indicated from the third stanza "out of the grave". The speaker also either wants to provide love or mercy for Luke, as indicated by the purpose of the kiss on the forehead. The speakers wishes to blind Luke to the way he must go--which means to me that the speaker wants to shield Luke from the nastiness of the transition of death.

9. The speaker asks Luke to trust that "she will call." The speaker asks Luke to go to the western gate.

10. I would advise Luke to not go the way that the speaker suggests. It sounds more like the western gate is the gateway to hell rather than heaven. I'd say Luke, Donthaveyourgal!

11. I like the rhymes and I also like the repetition. It sounds almost like a chant or a death dirge.

12. I could read this as either friendly, loving, from a voice of guidance, an angel, or I could read this from a perspective of bitterness, almost revenge, like from a spited lover's perspective.

13. The rhymes make this poem melodic and nicely rhythmic. The rhymes are not so obvious that they are expected, but rather highlight certain passages and to me, make them more significant. The beauty here is that even though the rhymes are simple, i.e. fall and call, they are still original, possibly because the rhyme links to the next line and isn't the end of the thought, but rather a connection or transition word.

Do not go to the western gate, Luke Havergal,
With red vines of entrapment lacing the wall,
In the twilight only misery will come.
She is not worth the whisper, for some
Of her words will only be lies;
Do not go, unless you wish to cry.
Do not go to the western gate, Luke Havergal-
Luke Havergal.

There is always a dawn that comes in eastern skies
The hope of new always there in babies eyes;
Lurking where western glooms are gathering,
Will bring you only darkness, if anything:
God itself cradles every being alive,
Hell is not worth more than wings ripped from a fly.
Yes, there is always dawn in eastern skies--
In eastern skies.

Born from the earth I come to tell you this,
Born from love to offer the kiss
To flame the desire I see in you glow
To tell you of another way to go.
Reconsider what draws you near to where she is,
Trust your faith may the bitter you miss.
Born from the earth I come to tell you this--
To tell you this.

There is another gate, Luke Havergal,
Free from biting crimson leaves upon the wall.
Follow the warm winds they know the place,--
Where love will welcome you with warm embrace,
You will feel safe in those arms you fall;
Trust me when I say she's not worth the call.
There is another gate, Luke Havergal--
Luke Havergal.