From this poem we are able to see that it is telling us of another poet that stood on stage to perform his work. From within the first stanza we get the interpretation that this is the rememberance of another poet due to how he talks of him being "unreal" to the audience. We have the use of imagery once more with the description of the cliffs and after that we see the notion of him talking of other poets that have also passed away. We also see the interpretation of life being shown to the audience with the use of shadows being portrayed in the imagery. This thought of death occurs through the remains of the stanza with the line, "I lifted a sea-shell from your shadow when you big-talked how the dead resume the silence of God". From this we get the thought that when we die we still get the silence of God and nothing changes. All questions are left unanswered and we are still waiting. We also get the impression that Watkins is dead due to how Abse picks a sea-shell from his shadow. Now although a shadow is placed by any object stating that it could be alive, we also see that Watkins has become dormant and Abse has now taken hold of life, personified by the sea-shell.
As we move onto the second stanza we see the sudden change of the countryside imagery in Pennard with how two shadows have become one, stating the notion of death occuring. We also see the notion of death within the line, "listening to another sea-shell I found, startled, its phantom sea utterly silent". From this we that death is occuring once more with the use of the word "phantom" which implys to us as being unreal and not from this world. From listening to this sea-shell we see that this could link in with only one shadow remaining on the cliff side. One shadow is no longer with us and the sea has turned ghostly and silent due to this.
Whilst we continue through the stanza we see that Abse talks of how unnatural it is to not hear the sound of the rolling sea and places it as being a "void" and a "interuption of sound" that should be there. We see that Abse himself is also making the link between the silence within this shell to the poet with the final line of this stanza saying, "but the stopped breath of a poet who once sang loud?". From this we also are able to imply that this poet was loud and noisy whilst on stage and no that he is no longer alive, it is silent and is placed as being unpleasant due to the change.
Within the final stanza we see that the persona is talking about the reality of death. From within this stanza we see that when one great poet dies, another is put in its place and we see the notion that we are not remembered after time with the use of the line, "the young asking, 'who?'". We are also able to make the link to another one of Abse' poems called Two Photographs with how he states that when we die and when all our loved ones die, it appears as though we have never lived at all. This links into it well due to the phrase used above from the poem.
Within the final part of this stanza we see that Abse is portraying the sense that all beaches should be filled with these shells that imply to us the notion of more people dying over time, but also with how the sea is able to capture it all. The use of the word, "immortal" states to us readers that the sea is powerful and is an observer of all thoughs that have died. We also see that the shells are empty, have no importance or value and is shown with the line, "This shell is useless" and therefore get the impression that that is what we will be when we die. From the final line we see that loved ones cry due to their losses but yet Abse does not cry for Watkins which makes the persona question why he is not doing so. Perhaps he is refering to his statement before on how many famous poets have died before and more are to follow, suggesting that it is Abse who is able to become famous and Watkins to be forgotten.
There is the link to a Larkin poem named For Sydney Bechet for it has the similarity of being an elergy. This is a reflection on someone just like the poem of Sydney Bechet and from this we see that this is in memory of the dead.
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