Orchard by H. D
"Orchard" by H. D. is a poignant poem exploring the complexities of beauty and desire within a lush autumnal orchard. Written in free verse and structured in four uneven stanzas, the poem conveys the narrator's profound emotional response to the orchard's opulence, filled with fruits like hazelnuts, figs, and quinces. Unlike typical representations of orchards as symbols of fertility, this poem presents a conflict between allure and restraint, as the narrator grapples with the intoxicating beauty of the setting. The repeated plea to be "spared from loveliness" reflects a tension between reverence for nature's bounty and a wariness of its seductive power.
H. D. employs Imagist techniques to craft vivid, concrete images that challenge conventional perceptions; for instance, the beauty of a pear blossom is portrayed as almost cruel. The poem contrasts the narrator's vulnerability with the indifference of a coarse deity, suggesting a deeper inquiry into the nature of appreciation and authority. Through devices such as repetition and focused descriptions, H. D. illuminates the internal struggle of the narrator while inviting readers to reconsider their own relationships with beauty and nature. This layered exploration encourages reflection on the meaning of aesthetic experience, making "Orchard" a rich text for those interested in the intersections of art, nature, and emotion.
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Orchard by H. D.
First published: 1912, as “Priapus”; collected in Sea Garden as “Orchard,” 1916
Type of poem: Lyric
The Poem
First published under the title “Priapus” and often referred to as “Spare us from Loveliness,” “Orchard” is a short poem. Containing thirty-one lines, it is written in free verse and divided into four stanzas of unequal length. As its title suggests, its setting and focal point is an orchard in autumn, replete with epicurean treasures that inspire both awe and apprehension in the first-person narrator.
Unlike many poems in which orchard or garden imagery is used simply to suggest fecundity, fertility, or abundance, for this narrator the splendor of the orchard sets up a dilemma. This dilemma is the source of conflict within the poem: The orchard contains hazelnuts, figs, quinces, and “berries dripping with their wine”; however, like many people with puritan sensibilities, the narrator is wary of being seduced by its aesthetic and sensual appeal and leaves it “untouched.”
On entering the orchard, the narrator is profoundly moved by its opulence. A falling pear serves as a reminder of the resplendent blossoms that preceded it, and the narrator is overcome with emotion and reverence. Because of the seemingly unbearable beauty of the orchard, the narrator falls to the ground and begs for mercy, wishing to be spared its intoxicating effects. In contrast to the bees who take no notice, the narrator feels vulnerable to the allure of the orchard and must struggle to overcome its aesthetic appeal. However, the narrator feels obliged to reject the orchard’s beauty for reasons ranging from veneration to disdain. Rather than taking pleasure in its gifts, the narrator repeatedly entreats the god of the orchard to “spare us from loveliness.”
In comparison to the orchard, the god appears coarse. He looks on impassively. Like the bees, he is unimpressed by the surroundings. But his plain appearance and indifferent demeanor make him a less threatening, more deserving object of adoration. By making an offering of the orchard’s treasures, the narrator subordinates the aesthetic appeal of the orchard to authority of the “unbeautiful” (and therefore less suspect) deity. By using the immoderate bounty to supplicate a more meaningful ideal, the narrator satisfies both the impulse to revere the fruit of the orchard and the compulsion to reject it. By taking pleasure in the fruit by proxy, the narrator minimizes the risk of falling under its intoxicating spell.
Forms and Devices
Probably the most conspicuous form in “Orchard” is that associated with a style H. D. is credited with helping to invent: Imagism. Tenets of this literary movement included a propensity for short, concrete descriptions of naturalistic scenes, as well as an inclination to focus on images in and of themselves, rather than more elusive or enigmatic meanings. Much of this poem’s meaning depends on its success in depicting images in unfamiliar ways, attributing characteristics to objects with which they are not normally associated. For example, instead of picturing pear blossoms as delicate, white, fragile, or ethereal, the poem implies that they are cruel, flaying observers with their beauty. Bees, instead of their familiar buzzing, “thundered their song.”
By rejecting conventional portrayals, H. D. forces readers to reconsider the effect and meaning of everyday objects. However, the objects themselves are less important than the relationships among them. The narrator competes with the bees, realizing too late that they do not share her interest in the wonder of the orchard. The god of the orchard becomes more remarkable for his unpolished simplicity because he presides over a place of aesthetic enchantment. By juxtaposing disparate elements, H. D. calls attention to how contexts can determine how situations are likely to be interpreted.
Another way that H. D. brings attention to selected elements within the poem is by reducing them to their characteristics instead of referring to them directly. Thus, the bees become “golden-banded” and “honey-seeking.” This technique serves a number of purposes. It allows the poet to direct readers toward the characteristics she feels are most important. In this case, the bees’ stinging ability is less significant than how they follow sweet scents that lead them to flowers and fruit. Moreover, her reducing of the bees to certain familiar activities invites associations that might otherwise be overlooked. Human visitors to an orchard may well find little in common with the insects flying about them; however, “honey-seeking” may be an activity with which they have something in common.
H. D. also uses other devices to portray the scene in ways at once selective and complete. Repetition highlights the most significant occurrences in the poem: The pear falls, the narrator falls, the hazelnuts have already fallen, marking a succession of descents. The narrator flounders, then remains prostrate, symbolizing humility as well as a misstep. The narrator repeats the plea “spare us from loveliness,” drawing attention to the ongoing struggle that occurs throughout the poem. In each instance the significance of the event is stressed through repetition, and the repetitive elements increase in importance exponentially.
Bibliography
Burnett, Gary Dean. H. D. Between Image and Epic: The Mysteries of Her Poetics. Ann Arbor, Mich.: UMI Research Press, 1990.
Camboni, Marina, ed. H. D.’s Poetry: “The Meanings That Words Hide”—Essays. Brooklyn, N.Y.: AMS Press, 2003.
Collecott, Diana. H. D. and Sapphic Modernism, 1910-1950. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Connor, Rachel. H. D. and the Image. New York: Palgrave, 2004.
DuPlessis, Rachel Blau. H. D., the Career of That Struggle. Brighton, England: Harvester Press, 1986.
Friedman, Susan Stanford. Psyche Reborn: The Emergence of H. D. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981.
Fritz, Angela DiPace. Thought and Vision: A Critical Reading of H. D.’s Poetry. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1988.
Guest, Barbara. Herself Defined: The Poet H. D. and Her World. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1984.
King, Michael, ed. H. D.: Woman and Poet. Orono, Maine: National Poetry Foundation, 1986.
Korg, Jacob. Winter Love: Ezra Pound and H. D. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2003.
Laity, Cassandra. H. D. and the Victorian Fin de Siècle: Gender, Modernism, Decadence. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Morris, Adalaide Kirby. How to Live/What to Do: H. D.’s Cultural Poetics. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2003.