[34]
We have seen how the most amiable,
under physical stress,
become wolves, jackals,
mongrel curs;
we know further that hunger
may make hyenas out of the best of us;
let us, therefore (though we do not forget
Love, the Creator,
her chariot and white doves),
entreat Hest,
Aset, Isis, the great enchantress,
in her attribute of Serqet,
the original great-mother,
who drove
harnessed scropions before her. ("[34]" 1-16)
To me, this section represents one of H.D.'s over-arching ideas of escaping evil. Throughout this section, H.D. uses metaphor as a way to show this idea. For instance, she says that stress can make a person become evil, comparing them to "wolves, jackals, / mongrel curs" ("[34]" 3-4). She is comparing how people act under stress to creatures that are represented as being evil and ugly creatures. Another instance where she uses metaphor is when she talks about how hunger can make us become gluttonous when she says, "we know further that hunger / may make hyenas out of the best of us;" ("[34]" 5-6). I really think she does a wonderful job of creating the image of how powerful sin can be. Also, H.D. has a tone of redemption in the way she alludes to Isis. Isis is a goddess that is remembered for countering evil spirits. This connects to the overall idea that people have the ability to cleanse themselves of evil by worshipping God.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis
[35]
Let us substitute
enchantment for sentiment,
re-dedicate our gifts
to spiritual realism
scrape a palette,
point pen or brush,
prepare papyrus or parchment,
offer incense to Thoth,
the original Ancient-of-days,
Hermes-thrice-great,
let us entreat
that he, by his tau-cross,
invoke the true-magic,
lead us back to the one-truth,
let him (Wisdom),
in the light of what went before,
illuminate what came after,
re-vivify the eternal verity,
be ye wise
As asps, scorpions, as serpents. ("[35]", 1-20)
In this section, H.D. is referring to the idea that we have something to give to the world. In this particular section, she is saying that poets have something important to offer us. This is shown when she says "lead us back to the one-truth." She believes that poetry is a form of writing that provides truth for us. In addition, she believes that poets speak in a way that connect people together. Also, she uses "spiritual realism" to convey to people that poets are important and wants others to understand that as well. Also, she wants to recognize the sacred and powerful aspects of poetry by mentioning the Egyptian Thoth and the Alexandrian Hermes Trismegistes. She is comparing the powerful nature of poetry to these figures. Finally, she makes a Biblical reference in the last couplet when she says "be ye wise / As asps, scorpions, as serpents" ("[35]", 19-20). This refers to the Bible verse that states, "Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves" (Matthew 10:16). She is referring to the serpent that is associated with the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Also, it seems that she is comparing poetry to the powerful word of God.
http://heavenawaits.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/clip_image01016.jpg
[36]
In no wise is the pillar-of-fire
that went before
different from the pillar-of-fire
that comes after;
chasm, schism in consciousness
must be bridged over;
we are each, householder,
each with a treasure;
now is the time to re-value
our secret hoard
in the light of both past and future,
for whether
coins, gems, gold
beakers, platters,
or merely
talismans, records or parchments,
explicitly, we are told,
it contains
for every scribe
which is instructed,
things new
and old. ("[36]" 1-22)
Again, she is using Biblical references in this section. When she mentions the "pillar-of-fire" as "before and after," she is referring to how the pillar of fire is mentioned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament in the Bible. She is saying that the light of God is always existing and never changes. The other Biblical reference is in the last two couplets that is inspired by the verse in the Bible that states, "Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old" (Matthew 13:52). I think she is bringing up the idea that no matter how old something is, it still contains a lot of value. In particular, I think she is trying to say that no matter how old writing is (such as the Bible), it is still valuable and should be treasured.
http://s66.photobucket.com/user/karentrustin/media/PillarFire.jpg.html
[37]
Thou shalt have none other gods but me;
not on the sea
shall we entreat Triton or Dolphin
not on the land
shall we lift rapt face and clasp hands
before laurel or oak-tree,
not in the sky
shall we invoke separately
Orion or Sirius
or of the followers of the Bear,
not in the higher air
of Algorab, Regulus, or Deneb
shall we cry
for help - or shall we? ("[37]" 1-14)
In this section, she starts off with a Biblical reference. In the first line, "Thou shalt have no other gods but me;" she is referring to the first of the Ten Commandments in the Bible. Also, there are references to constellations and Greek mythology with "Triton" and "Orion or Sirius / or of the followers of the Bear" (9-10) as well as "Algorab, Regulus, or Deneb." I am not exactly sure what this is saying but it sounds to me like she is bringing up the idea that in order to receive answers, you must form questions from things you see. At the end when she asks, "shall we cry / for help - or shall we?" (13-14), I think she is trying to say that we do not have all the answers and that is why we have to ask questions. But again, I had a hard time figuring out what was being said in this section.
Triton - http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/K16.1.html
[38]
This search for historical parallels,
research into psychic affinities,
has been done to death before,
will be done again;
no comment can alter spiritual realities
(you say) or again,
what new light can you possibly
throw upon them?
my mind (yours),
your way of thought (mine),
each has its peculiar intricate map,
threads weave over and under
the jungle-growth
of biological aptitudes,
inherited tendencies,
the intellectual effort
of the whole race,
its tide and ebb;
but my mind (yours)
has its peculiar ego-centric
personal approach
to the eternal realities,
and differs from every other
in minute particulars,
as the vein-paths on any leaf
differ from those of every other leaf
in the forest, as every snow-flake
has its particular star, coral or prism shape. ("[38]" 1-28)
Finally, in this section, she is continuing the idea that the light of God is permanent. This is shown when she says, "What new light can you possibly / throw upon them?" (7-8). She is referring back to Section 36 with the idea of the pillar of fire existing before and after. Also, she is saying that everyone has their own ways of perceiving things. This is shown what she says,
But my mind (yours)
has its peculiar ego-centric
personal approach
to the eternal realities,
and differs from every other
in minute particulars, ("[38]" 19-24).
It seems as if she is saying that it is strange that people have all of these opinions about reality by the way she describes it as "peculiar ego-centric." I think it might be her saying that the word of Christ is permanent and not something that is open to interpretation. Therefore, she finds it "peculiar" that everyone is trying to perceive ideas of eternity in different ways. My favorite part of this section is how she describes how peoples' perceptions are different from one another by comparing it to the idea of how vein patterns on leaves vary from one another.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mystic-leaves-chitrakala-varma.html
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