The Ballad of the Harp-Weaver

The mother describes the harp as “a harp with a woman’s head” (Line 11) that “Nobody will buy” (Line 12). Apparently worthless to others, the harp becomes a source of hope and release for the mother, who spends her time “weav-weav-weaving / Wonderful things” (Lines 83-84). When the mother dies, she dies with “her hands in the harp-strings / Frozen dead” (Lines 121-122). The harp becomes a resting place for the mother in life and in death. The harp also serves as a magical loom in the poem, as it is the instrument that the mother uses to weave luxurious and warm clothing for her son.

The mother’s death is representative of the ultimate sacrifice a mother can make for her child. The boy's mother died to save her son's life. The speaker describes his mother's death bluntly: “her hands in the harp-strings / Frozen dead” (Lines 121-122). The mother’s death rejuvenates her youth: “There sat my mother / With the harp against her shoulder / Looking nineteen / And not a day older” (Lines 115-118). The speaker describes his mother as having “A smile about her lips, / And a light about her head” (Lines 119-120).