Link to "Come Sleep! Oh Sleep":
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/45160 Well would you look at that, I am writing about a poem that isn’t from Richard Blanco! That’s because our class is trying to widen our poetic horizons, so each student is analyzing something new. This poem is called “Come Sleep! Oh Sleep” by Sir Philip Sidney, and it is about the benefits of sleep on our mental health. The first thing that I noticed was the title. This time, we had to pick our poem from a pre-made list, so all we could see was its title. It turns out that it is quite difficult to choose a poem based on its title alone, so it definitely encouraged me to make some first impressions. I usually don’t like to judge a book by its cover, but when I read the title “Come Sleep! Oh Sleep”, it reminded me of a lullaby that one would sing to children to help them fall asleep. That small hint of nostalgia was enough to make me choose it as the one I am analyzing today. I am happy to say that it was a lot deeper than I initially imagined. The next thing I notice is the structure. It is a rather short poem with only one stanzas to give it a sense of unity. It seems to have no real chronological order, because it is more about the description of sleep rather than the explanation of the process. In this poem, Sidney reflects on the positive aspects of sleep in everyday lives. He calls it the “certain knot of peace” and “baiting place of wit,” because it gives us time to check out from the rest of the world and be alone with our thoughts. He also called it the “balm of woe,” and since balm is considered a healing remedy, this line represents how sleep can subdue our sadness for a short time until we awake. He then goes to say how it affects different types of people, like how sleep is both a “poor man's wealth” and a “prisoner’s release” . A poor man does not own much, so he will treasure what he has, and that includes sleep. A prisoner has many rights and privileges taken away from him, but he still has his sleep. This allows them to dream about things that make them happier than they feel in their current position, giving them the happiness they need where they otherwise would not have without sleep. As the poem continues, the speaker talks about the relationship between himself and sleep. He asks sleep to be a “shield of proof” to protect him from the “fierce darts” of despair in order to make the “civil wars...cease” in his mind. This makes me think that Sir Philip Sidney was going through quite a rough patch in his life when he wrote this. He was probably plagued with depression and anxiety about the outside world and was just longing to go back to sleep. I think we've all been there before. Life can get rather unbearable at times, but sleep is only a short-term solution. Sidney’s diction caught my eye toward the middle of the poem. He used phrases like “smooth pillows” and “sweetest bed” to indicate how tempting it would be just to go back to bed and not deal with the world that day. I also enjoy his contrast in phrases like “deaf to noise” and “blind to light,” which describe how sleep keeps us from hearing and seeing our responsibilities and issues. Even though they are right there waiting for us when we get back up. Although this poem is different from the other poems I'm used the reading, I really enjoyed how relatable it was. I have trouble getting up in the morning when I know something unpleasant will happen, and this just describes it perfectly. That is what makes having anxiety so difficult. because it can keep you from getting that well deserved rest.
7 Comments
Eng
1/4/2017 11:05:26 am
Love this. The connection between a poor man and rich man is particularly powerful. Is Sidney ultimately praising sleep's restorative traits or criticizing it for not being strong enough to solve all of humanity's problems?
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Jess
1/4/2017 11:43:35 am
That's a great question. When I read it, I personally understood it as him praising sleep, but I can totally see him being very disappointed that it isn't working for him. This was his last resort, and yet it can't shield him forever.
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Eng
1/4/2017 11:05:50 am
Also, wow! The date is correct : )
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Jess
1/4/2017 11:44:50 am
Right?? I think I've become a pro at fixing dates now ?
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Henlo Jessica,
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Jess
5/4/2017 10:01:08 am
"Henlo" Steven,
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Alecia G.
5/4/2017 11:32:48 am
Hello Jessica!
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