I SAID--Then, dearest, since 'tis so,

Since now at length my fate I know,

Since nothing all my love avails,

Since all, my life seem'd meant for, fails,

Since this was written and needs must be--

My whole heart rises up to bless

Your name in pride and thankfulness!

Take back the hope you gave,--I claim

Only a memory of the same,

--And this beside, if you will not blame;

Your leave for one more last ride with me.

 

My mistress bent that brow of hers,

Those deep dark eyes where pride demurs

When pity would be softening through,

Fix'd me a breathing-while or two

With life or death in the balance: right!

The blood replenish'd me again;

My last thought was at least not vain:

I and my mistress, side by side

Shall be together, breathe and ride,

So, one day more am I deified.

Who knows but the world may end to-night?

 

Hush! if you saw some western cloud

All billowy-bosom'd, over-bow'd

By many benedictions--sun's

And moon's and evening-star's at once--

And so, you, looking and loving best,

Conscious grew, your passion drew

Cloud, sunset, moonrise, star-shine too,

Down on you, near and yet more near,

Till flesh must fade for heaven was here!--

Thus leant she and linger'd--joy and fear!

Thus lay she a moment on my breast.

 

Then we began to ride. My soul

Smooth'd itself out, a long-cramp'd scroll

Freshening and fluttering in the wind.

Past hopes already lay behind.

What need to strive with a life awry?

Had I said that, had I done this,

So might I gain, so might I miss.

Might she have loved me? just as well

She might have hated, who can tell!

Where had I been now if the worst befell?

And here we are riding, she and I.

 

Fail I alone, in words and deeds?

Why, all men strive and who succeeds?

We rode; it seem'd my spirit flew,

Saw other regions, cities new,

As the world rush'd by on either side.

I thought,--All labour, yet no less

Bear up beneath their unsuccess.

Look at the end of work, contrast

The petty done, the undone vast,

This present of theirs with the hopeful past!

I hoped she would love me; here we ride.

 

What hand and brain went ever pair'd?

What heart alike conceived and dared?

What act proved all its thought had been?

What will but felt the fleshly screen?

We ride and I see her bosom heave.

There's many a crown for who can reach.

Ten lines, a statesman's life in each!

The flag stuck on a heap of bones,

A soldier's doing! what atones?

They scratch his name on the Abbey-stones.

My riding is better, by their leave.

 

What does it all mean, poet? Well,

Your brains beat into rhythm, you tell

What we felt only; you express'd

You hold things beautiful the best,

And pace them in rhyme so, side by side.

'Tis something, nay 'tis much: but then,

Have you yourself what's best for men?

Are you--poor, sick, old ere your time--

Nearer one whit your own sublime

Than we who never have turn'd a rhyme?

Sing, riding's a joy! For me, I ride.

 

And you, great sculptor--so, you gave

A score of years to Art, her slave,

And that's your Venus, whence we turn

To yonder girl that fords the burn!

You acquiesce, and shall I repine?

What, man of music, you grown gray

With notes and nothing else to say,

Is this your sole praise from a friend?--

'Greatly his opera's strains intend,

But in music we know how fashions end!'

I gave my youth: but we ride, in fine.

 

Who knows what's fit for us? Had fate

Proposed bliss here should sublimate

My being--had I sign'd the bond--

Still one must lead some life beyond,

Have a bliss to die with, dim-descried.

This foot once planted on the goal,

This glory-garland round my soul,

Could I descry such? Try and test!

I sink back shuddering from the quest.

Earth being so good, would heaven seem best?

Now, heaven and she are beyond this ride.

 

And yet--she has not spoke so long!

What if heaven be that, fair and strong

At life's best, with our eyes upturn'd

Whither life's flower is first discern'd,

We, fix'd so, ever should so abide?

What if we still ride on, we two

With life for ever old yet new,

Changed not in kind but in degree,

The instant made eternity,--

And heaven just prove that I and she

Ride, ride together, for ever ride?

 

 

Structure of the poem

The poem is a dramatic monologue. The first person speaker is the mouthpiece of the poet. The poem has ten stanzas of eleven lines each following the rhyming pattern aabbcddeeec. There are number of poetical devices used in the poem. They as follows:

Rhetorical Questions: A Rhetorical question is one which answers itself.

What need to strive with a life awry?
 Might she loved me?

Metaphor:
“…My soul/ Smooth’d itself out, a long-cramp’d scroll
Freshening and fluttering in the wind.”

Personification:
“When pity would be softening though”

Enjambment:
Enjambment refers to the continuation of a sentence without a pause.

Take back the hope you gave,- I claim
Only a memory of the same,
Hush! If you saw some western cloud
All billowy-bosom’d, over-bow’d
By many benedictions-sun’s
And moon’s and evening star’s at once.

 

 

 

Summary of the poem

The poem begins with the situation where the speaker’s lady love wants to end their relationship. He laments that everything he tried has failed. He expresses his love and appreciation for the woman.  The speaker says that the love of his beloved was the most meaningful thing in his life and after he has lost her love, his life has lost all its meaning and significance. In fact, he feels proud that he had the opportunity to love her and enjoy her company for a long time. He is grateful towards her for the beautiful and blissful moments they had together. For this he asks God to bless her. He requests her for two wishes, though he has no hopes of ever getting her love back in his life. First, he wants to cherish the memories of his love and the memories of the happiness of the time they spent together. Secondly, he wants to go on a last ride with her. 

Second stanza is about the dilemma of the lady, as she is not able to decide whether she should accept the request or reject it. She thinks about it deeply and finally, the lady accepts his request. The speaker is extremely happy that he is going to enjoy bliss and his lover’s company for another day. He hopes for the world to end that very night so that his moment of bliss becomes eternal.

The third stanza deals with beautiful feeling of the heavenly bliss which the lover experiences when his beloved lies on his bosom.

In stanza four the two lovers finally begins their last ride.  This blissful experience gives his soul a terrific experience. The lover thinks about the world as he rides with his beloved.

The philosophical reflection of the lover continues in fifth stanza.  Here he argues that everyone struggled for success yet most face failure. Thus, he tries to justifies his achievement in love He feels that he has at least achieved a little success and happiness by being able to ride last time with his beloved.

In stanza six, the lover as he rides with his beloved continues to think about the world and compares himself with a statesman and a soldier. It presents the idea that contemplation in love is far better than anything else. The lover compares the greatest joys of life and comes down firmly on the idea that his life is better and superior.

The seventh and eighth stanzas, he compares himself with a poet and a sculpture. He believes that a poet’s reward is too small compared with his skills. Ordinary men cannot compose such poems. He compares these arts to the years of his life he gave to his love. He considers himself luckier as he has at least achieved the consolation of riding with his lover for the last time.

In ninth stanza, he turns his focus back to his lover and observes that during the ride while he was lost in his own thoughts, his beloved did not speak a single word. But it did not make any difference to him as her company is a heavenly bliss for him. He wonders that it would be a heaven on earth for him if this ride continues forever. He wishes that the moment should become everlasting so that they could continue to ride together forever and ever. The end on the wistful note for an eternity of this moment.

 

Critical analysis

The poem is one of the most famous dramatic monologues of Robert Browning published in 1855 in his collection Men and Women, consisting fifty one poems. It is considered one of the most important works of poetry in the Victorian era. Browning may be described as ‘the father of modern experimental verse’.  It is a ten-stanza poem which focuses on the wishes of a man, his  love and loss. It begins with a rejected lover reflecting on the end of a love affair. Although the lover is sad but he wishes to reflect his appreciation for the time they spent together and the love he experienced. The poem has an overall bittersweet tone, balancing sadness and optimism.

Some critics see Freudian symbols in the poem, the title in particular interpreted as a metaphor for the sexual act.