It is one of five poems that eliot contributed to the ariel poems series of 38 pamphlets by several authors published by faber and gwyer. His life is now complete. Read a song for simeon by t.s
Discover themes of life, death, and peace in this classic poem
The poem begins with the roman hyacinths indicative of the foreign domination blooming amidst the dead season and simeon waits for death
After he has prayed, he shudders to think of what will happen when the time of sorrow is come. I'm not proposing to read from ash wednesday, because i don't think there will be time and because i want to choose some of the poems to please myself as well as to please others. In “a song for simeon” by t Eliot, faith and death are inseparably intertwined, forming the spiritual axis of the poem
Simeon’s acceptance of death is not despair but fulfillment “let thy servant depart, having seen thy salvation.” Like a feather on the back of my hand Wait for the wind that chills towards the dead land
Have taken and given honour and ease
There went never any rejected from my door When the time of sorrow is come Fleeing from the foreign faces and the foreign swords Have given and taken honour and ease
I have always thought the ‘song of simeon’ to be a beautiful representation of an aging gentleman who has led a good life and is ready to die
