1. Here
R.S. THOMAS
Annie Zhou

2. Theme Time Growth Loss Wisdom Sadness Guilt Forgiveness
Memories of the past

3. Point of view First person narration
A personal voice that yearns to seek answers.
He expresses a lost hope in the tone of his voice when he constantly questions God in stanza 4 and 5.
He is a lost soul wandering around in a lost world. This is confirmed by him having “nowhere to go”.
He is burdened by the guilt of his past.

4. Shape Title “Here” 7 Stanzas
Gives a sense of present time. He is stuck between the world of the past and the future.
7 Stanzas
First three stanza conveys his past, growth and the sins he committed.
Fourth and fifth stanza portrays his mind of confusion and regret he feels that he must cleanse away the sins.
The last two stanza suggests the lost hope he has for redemption that he must “stay here with my hurt”. He has no choice since everything is “too late to start” over again.

5. Pattern Rhyming scheme, aaabbbccc…
It illustrates the time passing on with the guilt that he carries.
Gives a melancholic sound that reinforces the sadness and hopelessness he feels towards the guilt he bears.
The echo of his voice line after line will always haunt him day after day. He cannot forgive him of the guilt even though his blood has “run clear of the stain”.

6. Language
Enjambment
Shows a hint of hesitation, he is doubting himself. He is not sure if he can forgive himself or he must carry on the burden of guilt. But in the end he carries on and finishing the sentence in the next line. This suggests that he must carry on the burden and self sacrificing for the crimes he committed. This is the only way that he can truly be purged of his sins. He obligates that he “must stay here with my hurt” for the rest of his life to be forgiven from the sins to ease away his guilt. This must be the only way for him to find peace.

7. Imagery “I am like a tree”
Vivid image of a tall, branched tree showing the many different paths he took in life.
These branches suggests that many decisions can be made during his life that could change his future many times. No one can really predict the future since there are millions of possibilities.
“Blood in my veins/ that has run clear of the stain”
Powerful image of blood flowing inside a person. Blood transports the bad stuff to organs that can digest them making the blood clean again.
This is showing him that there is hope. There is no need for him to carry the burden of guilt. He must learn to forgive himself.
“Why, then, are my hands red”
Strong image of blood on his hand which reveals his sins.
This suggests that no matter how clean his blood is, there is always a trace of dirt that has once been there. He cannot bring to forgive himself. This concludes as to why he choose to remain hurt.

8. Stanza 1 “I am a man now.” “the brains grow” “You”
It suggest the narrator’s development.
He is trying to prove that he has grown up and learn to understand things.
“the brains grow”
It shows he gained wisdom. This is the proof for becoming a man.
He is also referring to the overcoming of the memories of his past and for the better of the future.
“You”
The only time used by the narrator in the first stanza. It suggests he is referring to the readers.
He is trying to make us believe that he is ok knowing that he is not ok. He is lying to readers and himself.

9. Stanza 2 “I am like a tree”
Simile, to describe himself being tall, grown.
Trees are part of nature. It reveals his desire to join in the world, to belong there.
A tree continually grows, like wisdom and memories. He will reach towards the sun to his future and come to learn and understand things. And learn to forgive himself.
“Top boughs I can see/ the footprints that led up to me”
Trees are tall. He is suggesting that he has grown tall, so he is able to see the paths he took. The large branched tree illustrates the different paths he took in life.
Now he has reached “top boughs”, he can see the things he has done in life that has led him to his position now.

10. Stanza 3 “Blood in my veins” “Run clear of the stain”
To show that he is still human that there is life in himself.
Suggests he is very much alive.
“Run clear of the stain”
Hint of guilt that were once a stain in his life, but now he has purged himself of the “stain” and sin.
He has come clean of the crimes committed before.

11. Stanza 4 “Why, then, are my hands red/ with the blood of so many dead”
Even though he purged of his sins but he still feels guilty. He is constantly haunted by the conscience of crimes he has done.
Questions himself, he is puzzled by his present state.
“Misled”
Again questioning himself as to how had he gone down the wrong path.
A lot of confusion now crowds his mind.

12. Stanza 5 “Why are my hands this way/ that they will not do as I say?”
He does not understand why he must still feel the guiltiness towards his sins.
He deeply expresses regret for what he has done.
Believes what he is doing is wrong but cannot stop. He wants to cleanse away his guiltiness.
The fact that the hands does not obey suggests his hands are trembling, shaking and scared for the crimes he committed.

13. “Does no God hear when I pray?”
He is starting to losing faith in God.
“God” is capitalized to show the significance of God being there for him. But the fact that God was not there for him when he prayed suggests the huge disappointment he felt. Nobody is answering his calls of help. Even the almighty savior cannot hear him.
Questioning himself if he is able to reach God or has he sunken so low that he no longer can touch God. That may be the reason God cannot hear his calls.

14. Stanza 6
“nowhere to go”
God has abandoned him. He is forever lost in misery and is unwanted from the world.
“swift satellites show” “clock of my whole being is slow”
Juxtaposition- Contrast between the passing of time and the loneliness and sadness felt during those times.

15. Stanza 7 “too late to start” “destinations not of the heart”
He gives up hope for self redemption.
He can no longer save himself from the pains.
“destinations not of the heart”
There is no hope in changing himself and become a brand new human being. The sins he bear will always follow him, haunt him and curse him.
The heart is the life source of all beings in the world. Yet he claims his goal is not the life source. He does not want life itself.
“I must stay here with my hurt”
He deserves to be stuck with the pain and pain is always there. He will always be reminded of the things he has done wrong.
This can also be considered as a form of protection from getting a scar that hurts even deeper.