My Lattice, and Other Poems

In Short

This book is a diverse anthology of narrative poetry, sonnets, and lyrical meditations. It explores themes of faith, the struggle of the human soul against its own darkness, and the restorative power of nature. Whether depicting the mythological torment of Samson or the simple, domestic comfort of a view from a window, the writing focuses on the intersection of individual suffering and spiritual endurance. It has lasted because of its earnest, rhythmic exploration of universal human experiences—grief, doubt, and the persistent desire to find meaning in a transient world.

The Story

The collection opens with the intimate, domestic frame of "My Lattice," where the speaker peers out at the night sky and finds his soul capable of sailing beyond the stars. This sets a tone of expansive, almost cosmic inquiry that persists throughout the volume. As the reader moves through the pages, the poems shift from these personal observations into dramatic narratives that test the limits of human strength and divine mercy.

The middle section delves into the darker, more turbulent aspects of existence. We witness the agony of "Samson," who, shorn of his strength and sight, cries out from his dungeon for one final, glorious act of justice. This theme of conflict—both internal and external—continues with "Thor," whose divine power is temporarily shackled by the seductive, serpentine influence of a moon-lady, only to be reclaimed through the pure-hearted intervention of Balder. The narrative reaches a fever pitch with "The Frenzy of Prometheus," a descent into a kind of nihilistic mania, and "The Abbot," a tragic tale of a monk who, burdened by a lifelong, agonizing love for a boy he once wronged, ultimately finds peace only in death.

These heavy, dramatic accounts are balanced by poems that ground the reader in the Canadian landscape. In "Natura Victrix," the speaker stands before the majesty of mountains and glacial rivers, seeking to dissolve his personal fears into the larger, eternal rhythms of the wilderness. This relationship with the natural world serves as a sanctuary. The collection then pivots toward reflection on the nature of history and legacy, as seen in the portrait of a cold, scheming Venetian cardinal and the grand, world-altering ambition of Columbus.

The arc of the book concludes with a series of sonnets that bring the focus back to the domestic and the spiritual. Through tributes to his wife and reflections on the death of a bishop, the author moves from the "storm" of life—the pain and the chaotic, shifting moods of the soul—toward a final state of resignation and hope. The final poems suggest that despite the "night of doubts" that surrounds human existence, there is a "Rock of our Strength" in the form of divine love. The journey ends not with a solution to life's mysteries, but with the quiet, steadfast acceptance that even in the face of death, the soul remains anchored to a purpose beyond its own understanding.

How It Unfolds

The expansion of the soul The opening poems establish a vantage point where the speaker’s small, quiet life—marked by the songs of sparrows and the view from a window—becomes a gateway to the vast, silent depths of space.

The struggle of the titans The narratives of Samson, Thor, and Prometheus explore the collapse of great strength, showing how even the most powerful figures are vulnerable to internal passions, loss of control, and the "sorrow which lurks in a bliss."

The nature of sin and sacrifice The story of the Abbot introduces the weight of human regret, focusing on a man who believes his soul is permanently stained by a youthful, singular love, until he finds a path to atonement through self-renunciation.

The communion with the wild The speaker turns to the rugged, storm-tossed Canadian landscape, looking to the mountains and forests to drown his personal anxieties in the "sacrament profound" of the natural world.

The reach for history The book steps outside the speaker's own consciousness to observe the figures of the past, using them to weigh the value of ambition, cruelty, and the vanity of earthly titles.

The final stillness The collection closes with a sequence of sonnets that trade the earlier, frantic energy for a steady gaze on love and faith, ultimately framing death as a transition rather than a defeat.

The People

The characters in these poems are often archetypes of struggle. The Abbot is the most complex figure, a man haunted by the memory of a love from his youth that he views as both a holy bond and a source of mortal sin; his story is a poignant study in the failure of the institution to heal an individual heart. Thor represents the intersection of brute force and fragile vulnerability, a god who must be rescued from his own "silken nets" by the purity of Balder, who acts as a savior through the power of simple, honest intent. Dion emerges as a tragic, prideful warrior who loves his city, Syracuse, with a devotion that the city cannot understand or reciprocate, eventually dying by the hands of the very people he sought to liberate. Finally, there is the Speaker himself, who appears in various guises—as a dreamer at his lattice, a seeker in the woods, or a husband—acting as a consistent, observant presence who mediates between the reader and the divine.

In Its Own Voice

"To me that little square of sky / Becomes a boundless ocean."

The speaker describes how the view from his window allows his imagination to transcend the physical limitations of his room.

"The thing was with me day by day, / And all my thinking underlay; / And even through hours when I forgot, / Ached as a canker spot."

The Abbot explains the persistent, gnawing nature of the regret that defines his spiritual life.

"There is a faith that will bear thee on waft of omnipotent pinion, / Up to the heaven of victory, there to be known and to know."

The speaker offers a hopeful conclusion to the trials of the human heart, suggesting that spiritual clarity awaits those who endure their suffering.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an investigation into the "inner strife" that defines a human life. It asks whether the soul can ever be fully at peace while tethered to a physical world of decay, ambition, and memory. The author argues that human identity is a constant tension between our "puny heart-rebellions" and a larger, divine order. The poems suggest that while our earthly goals—whether they be the conquest of nations, the seeking of wealth, or the pursuit of power—often end in vanity, there is a profound, quiet strength to be found in the acceptance of our own limitations. It is a meditation on how we navigate the space between our earthly failures and our spiritual aspirations.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate slow, deliberate language and the formal beauty of the Victorian era will find much to admire here. This book is best suited for those who enjoy poetry as a companion to solitude; it feels like a long walk through a quiet forest or an evening spent reflecting by a fireplace. The tone is deeply serious, occasionally bordering on the somber, which may be a challenge for readers who prefer modern irony or brevity.

The language is rich with period-specific motifs—steeples, damsels, gods, and cloisters—which lend the work a timeless, if slightly archaic, atmosphere. You will encounter nineteenth-century attitudes toward faith and gender that are very much of their time, particularly in the way the poems romanticize suffering as a path to virtue. However, what stays with you is the author's genuine, unvarnished empathy for the human condition. In a world that often demands constant productivity and speed, these poems offer a rare, patient space to linger on the "humour and pathos" of being alive. It is a collection that rewards the reader who is willing to slow down and listen to the "voice of the years gone by."