Here by R.S. Thomas explores the speaker’s realisation that the cause he is fighting for is one he does not believe in any more. The themes of growth of self-understanding, identity, existence, and the human condition are significant, as the speaker grapples with his sense of responsibility and his present situation.
This study guide is written for students and teachers of English Literature, particularly those studying CCEA’s GCSE English Literature Identity Anthology. For more study guides from this anthology, check out the list of poems in the series at the bottom of this guide.
Here
I am a man now.
Pass your hand over my brow.
You can feel the place where the brains grow.
I am like a tree,
From my top boughs I can see
The footprints that led up to me.
There is blood in my veins
That has run clear of the stain
Contracted in so many loins.
Why, then, are my hands red
With the blood of so many dead?
Is this where I was misled?
Why are my hands this way
That they will not do as I say?
Does no God hear when I pray?
I have no where to go
The swift satellites show
The clock of my whole being is slow,
It is too late to start
For destinations not of the heart.
I must stay here with my hurt.
What is 'Here' all about?
Summary of stanza 1
The speaker begins by asserting their maturity and self-awareness. They invite someone, a silent listener, to physically touch their forehead, suggesting that this gesture can provide insight into their inner thoughts and consciousness.
Summary of stanza 2
The speaker likens themselves to a tree and describes how, from their vantage point at the top, they can see the past actions and choices that have led them to their current state.
Summary of stanza 3
The speaker acknowledges the presence of ancestral blood in their veins, blood that has remained untainted by the sins or mistakes of previous generations. This is not a literal stain (i.e. a disease or hereditary condition) but rather a moral one. The realisation of this moral stain is apparent to him now that he is a man and fully self-aware.
Summary of stanza 4
The speaker confronts the perplexing fact that their hands are stained with the blood of the deceased. They question whether they were led astray or influenced by external forces to commit harmful actions.
Summary of stanza 5
The speaker continues to ponder the condition of their hands, wondering why they do not obey their intentions or prayers to a higher power. This stanza delves into the concept of divine intervention and the struggles of faith and communication with a higher being.
Summary of stanza 6
The speaker expresses a sense of being trapped or stagnant. They describe their existence as slow-moving, that they have no new paths or destinations to pursue. The mention of “swift satellites” suggests the fast-paced and advanced world around them. The speaker feels left behind and disconnected from this modern reality.
Summary of stanza 7
In this final stanza, the speaker acknowledges that it is too late for them to embark on journeys or pursuits that do not align with their true desires and passions. They stress the importance of staying true to one’s heart and avoiding paths that lack personal significance. The speaker accepts their hurt or pain and resigns themselves to remaining where they are, not pursuing actions that do not resonate with their innermost feelings.
Context of 'Here' by R.S Thomas
R.S. Thomas' life, education and career
R.S. Thomas, full name Ronald Stuart Thomas, was a Welsh poet and Anglican priest. Born on March 29, 1913, in Cardiff, Wales, he is known for his bleak, questioning poetry that often explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition. The landscape and culture of Wales deeply influences Thomas’s work. Indeed, Thomas is known for his love of the Welsh landscape and traditional farming methods. In addition, he is a deeply religious poet whose questions of faith shape much of his poetry.
My favourite Thomas poem is from my own school days, Cynddylan on a Tractor. In this poem, the speaker’s voice is sarcastic and highly critical of new methods of farming, and the industrialism that was changing the landscape of farming, literally and figuratively.
Cynddylan on a Tractor
Ah, you should see Cynddylan on a tractor.
Gone the old look that yoked him to the soil,
He’s a new man now, part of the machine,
His nerves of metal and his blood oil.
The clutch curses, but the gears obey
His least bidding, and lo, he’s away
Out of the farmyard, scattering hens.
Riding to work now as a great man should,
He is the knight at arms breaking the fields’
Mirror of silence, emptying the wood
Of foxes and squirrels and bright jays.
The sun comes over the tall trees
Kindling all the hedges, but not for him
Who runs his engine on a different fuel.
And all the birds are singing, bills wide in vain,
As Cynddylan passes proudly up the lane.
Context of 'Here'
For more on R.S. Thomas’ poetry, check out this excellent article called ‘R.S. Thomas: Poet of the Cross‘ by David E. Anderson from Religion and Ethics Weekly.
Line-by-line analysis
Stanza 1
I am a man now.
- The poem opens with a short, declarative statement, ‘I am a man now,’ signifying a transformation or awakening. It’s a significant moment in the poem that sets the tone.
Pass your hand over my brow.
- This line employs tactile imagery and the imperative voice, inviting the reader to engage physically with the poem. The action of ‘passing your hand’ elicits a sense of touch and connection.
You can feel the place where the brains grow.
- Here, there is a direct address to the reader, creating a sense of intimacy. The line contains consonance with ‘feel’ and ‘place,’ emphasising the sensory experience. The reference to ‘brains grow’ suggests intellectual development.
Stanza 2
I am like a tree,
- This simile likens the speaker to a tree, symbolising rootedness, growth, and connection to nature. It introduces nature as a recurring theme. Thomas is known to use the tree as an image of Jesus’ death on the cross, and this line faintly echoes the idea of reflection and the weight of the moment.
From my top boughs I can see
- This line extends the simile from the previous line, suggesting a perspective from a higher vantage point. ‘Top boughs’ metaphorically indicates the peak of the speaker’s personal growth.
The footprints that led up to me.
- The metaphor of ‘footprints’ implies a journey, hinting at influences, experiences, and a path to self-realisation. The line is rich in imagery and conveys introspection. Perhaps these ‘footprints’ are to do with identity through ancestry (implied in the next stanza’s idea of blood in the veins), but more likely they are national footprints. The speaker’s fears are that he has fought for a cause that he does not believe in: these footprints are those of his national forefathers, rather than his own.
Stanza 3
There is blood in my veins
- This statement introduces the theme of lineage and heritage. ‘Blood in my veins’ is a metaphor for familial ties and ancestry. Thomas uses enjambment to run this image directly into the next line, creating continuity within the stanza.
That has run clear of the stain
- The metaphor from the previous line is continued with the enjambment in lines one and two of the stanza. The word ‘stain’ carries connotations of guilt or impurity. ‘Clear of the stain’ suggests a break from ancestral burdens and a sense of purification.
Contracted in so many loins.
- The verb ‘contracted’ emphasises the inheritance of ancestral burdens. ‘Loins’ is a vivid choice, connecting to physicality and generations. The imagery of loins here perhaps links back to the opening line, ‘I am a man now.’ The dawning of adulthood has awakened in the speaker a sense of his own maturity and a realisation of the responsibility he has for his own decisions.
Stanza 4
Why, then, are my hands red
- The colour ‘red’ symbolises blood and guilt (think of Lady Macbeth: ‘Will these hands ne’er be clean?’ and ‘Out damn’d spot’). The questioning tone provokes thoughts about personal culpability.
With the blood of so many dead?
- The blood imagery continues, reflecting the weight of ancestral history and possibly, responsibility for past actions. The question mark at the end of the stanza brings to a head the questioning tone throughout the stanza.
Is this where I was misled?
- This line uses end stop with another question mark, in contrast to the enjambment of the previous lines, The fractured verse structure creates a sense of bleak realisation. It suggests contemplation of whether external influences led the speaker astray.
Stanza 5
Why are my hands this way
- The repetition of ‘Why’ echoes the speaker’s profound self-questioning. The line contains a rhetorical question, inviting the reader to ponder with the speaker. It also echoes the structure of the previous stanza, which begins with a two-line question, and finishes with another question on the third line of the stanza.
That they will not do as I say?
- The line introduces a conflict between intent and action. The use of the impersonal pronoun ‘they’ implies a lack of control or alignment between thought and deed, emphasised with the question mark.
Does no God hear when I pray?
- The question explores issues of faith and the divine, presenting a spiritual crisis.
Stanza 6
I have no where to go
- The use of ‘no where’ as two separate words conveys a sense of being lost and directionless. The presence of a space between the words emphasises the isolation.
The swift satellites show
- The term ‘swift satellites’ introduces a modern, technological image, contrasting with the previous natural imagery. ‘Show’ implies revelation or exposure. The use of sibilance emphasises the words.
The clock of my whole being is slow,
- The metaphor of a ‘clock’ suggests the passage of time. The idea that it’s ‘slow’ implies a disconnect or mismatch with the external world.
Stanza 7
It is too late to start
- This line signals a sense of finality and missed opportunities. The adjective ‘late’ underscores a lost chance, emphasised by the lamenting tone of ‘too late’.
For destinations not of the heart.
- The metaphor of ‘destinations’ echoes the idea of footprints from earlier in the poem. There is a sense of history and future meeting at this point: it is an intense feeling of self-realisation for the speaker, a moment of importance.
I must stay here with my hurt.
- The final line of the poem offers no answers to the questions raised by the poem, perhaps highlighting the moral dilema of modern life: there are no answers to be found. The speaker’s recent realisation that he is a man has led him to an acceptance of his bleak position. Unfortunately for the reader, there are no answers as to the speaker’s exact situation.
Analysis of form and structure
Verse structure
Here is made up of seven tercets (3 line stanzas). The regular verse structure throughout the poem lends it a sense of levity and consistency which adds to the serious, bleak tone.
Rhyme
The rhyme scheme is strong throughout the poem, with each stanza using one sound at the end of each line (AAA BBB CCC etc). For example: tree/see/me in stanza two, or: red/dead/misled in stanza four.
There are three places in which the rhyming sound is an incomplete rhyme, or a half-rhyme: now/brow/grow in stanza one, where the ‘aow’ sound of ‘brow’ does not completely rhyme with the ‘oh’ sound in ‘grow’. The same is the case in stanza three: veins/stain/loins, and in stanza seven: start/heart/hurt.
In these stanzas, the incomplete sounds reflect the uneasy, questioning tone of the poem. The reader is not able to fully relax into the rhyme scheme. Rather, we are on edge a little with the uncomfortable rhyme and the uncomfortable message.
Rhythm
There is no strong rhythm in the poem. Some lines are largely iambic, but the rhythm is created more so through rhyme, repetition and auditory devices.
Themes in 'Here'
Identity
The poem explores the speaker’s journey of self-discovery and self-realisation. They reflect on their past actions, their heritage, and the consequences of their choices, ultimately questioning their own identity.
Guilt at violent actions
The imagery of the red hands suggests a burden of guilt and responsibility. The speaker grapples with the question of whether they were misled into actions that caused harm.
Faith and doubt
The poem touches on the theme of faith and divine communication. The speaker wonders if their prayers are heard and if there is a higher power that responds to their pleas. This is a theme that runs throughout Thomas’ poetry. See the link in the context information above to explore more about Thomas’ faith and questioning.
Quiz
Quiz on ‘Here’ by R.S. Thomas
Test your knowledge of the poem 'Here' by R.S. Thomas.
Comprehension Questions
- What physical sensation does the speaker ask the reader to perform in the first stanza?
- In the second stanza, what image does the speaker use to describe himself?
- What does the speaker mean by saying the blood in his veins is “clear of the stain”?
- Based on the poem, what does the speaker seem to be struggling with emotionally?
- What rhyme scheme does the poem follow, and what is the impact of the rhyme on the poem’s meaning?
- What does the speaker mean by saying, “the clock of my whole being is slow”?
- Why does the speaker feel he has nowhere to go?
- What is the main theme of the poem?
- What might the “swift satellites” symbolise in the context of the poem?
- What other poem from the CCEA Identity anthology would you choose to compare and contrast with “Here” by R.S. Thomas?
Both poems search for meaning for both the individual and the collective population, in a changing world and they challenge the established systems of faith. They both explore feelings of isolation and disillusionment. The poems are very different in their style, with Here taking a much more frank tone with short sentences.
Both poems delve into existential questions and the human condition. ‘Here’ reflects on personal identity and the consequences of your actions, while “Prayer Before Birth” explores the innocence and vulnerability of an unborn child. A comparison could emphasise the contrast between the perspectives of someone who has lived and made choices (in ‘Here’) and someone who is about to embark on life (in ‘Prayer Before Birth’).
Both poems deal with decisions and their consequences. ‘Here’ contemplates past actions and consequences, while ‘The Road Not Taken’ explores the idea of choosing one path over another. A comparison could focus on the concept of choices, their impact, and the differing tones and resolutions in each poem. Both poems have regular structures which allows for comparison, but their structures are different from each other, allowing scope for contrast.
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