Cleon and I
Charles Mackay
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Background
Background
Charles Mackay was a Scottish poet, journalist, author, anthologist, novelist, and songwriter. He was educated at the Caledonian Asylum in London and then went on to study languages at a school in Brussels. Mackay was born in Perth, Scotland on March 27, 1814 and died in London on December 24,1889.
Poem and Annotations
Poem and Annotations
Cleon hath ten thousand acres,Ne'er a one have I;Cleon dwelleth in a palace,In a cottage, I;Cleon hath a dozen fortunes,Not a penny, I,Yet the poorer of the twain isCleon, and not I.
Cleon, true, possesseth acres,But the landscape, I;Half the charms to me it yieldethMoney cannot buy;Cleon harbors sloth and dullness,Freshening vigor, I;He in velvet, I in fustian—Richer man am I.
Cleon is a slave to grandeur,Free as thought am I;Cleon fees a score of doctors,Need of none have I;Wealth-surrounded, care-environed,Cleon fears to die;Death may come—he'll find me ready,Happier man am I.
Cleon sees no charms in nature,In a daisy, I;Cleon hears no anthems ringing'Twixt the sea and sky;Nature sings to me forever,Earnest listener, I;State for state, with all attendants—Who would change?—Not I.
Cleon, true, possesseth acres,But the landscape, I;Half the charms to me it yieldethMoney cannot buy;Cleon harbors sloth and dullness,Freshening vigor, I;He in velvet, I in fustian—Richer man am I.
Cleon is a slave to grandeur,Free as thought am I;Cleon fees a score of doctors,Need of none have I;Wealth-surrounded, care-environed,Cleon fears to die;Death may come—he'll find me ready,Happier man am I.
Cleon sees no charms in nature,In a daisy, I;Cleon hears no anthems ringing'Twixt the sea and sky;Nature sings to me forever,Earnest listener, I;State for state, with all attendants—Who would change?—Not I.
Analysis
Analysis
"Cleon and I" is a poem about how contentment comes from having the right perspective. The personification of glory, Cleon, seemingly has everything he ever wanted, yet still seems miserable. The speaker on the other hand, is so content with his 'lesser' lifestyle that he brags about it and describes the advantages of his way of life over Cleon's. The message that Mackay intends to convey is that material possessions and wealth do not bring contentment or happiness. True contentment can only come from within, by making a conscious decision to have a positive outlook on life. The tone of this poem can be described as untroubled.
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