I.
clandestine smiles and glances
meander to the little cinema
and from its tiny yellow kiosk
they buy a dream and tickets
for a shilling
tonight, their night seems so certain
and their tomorrow's half-whispered
II.
her white ribbons and her scent
the modesty of her startled dawn
her silver cross and bracelets
mimosa blossom and yellow sands
cyclamens and a sun-drenched valley
cerulean seas and the smell of brine
“you” she whispers in the moment
of her timid sunrise, beyond the words
of pious priests and sombre masters
Part of the cycle of poems Thirteen Silk Verses
A few words about the poem…
A Shilling for a Dream – Cyprus Poems
In "A Shilling for a Dream," from the cycle "Thirteen Silk Verses," the youthful romance between a boy and a girl unfolds with a delicate charm. The poem captures their early affection within a deeply religious, traditional society, bound by moral conventions that shape every interaction. In this setting, where any premarital relationship is seen as immoral, the couple’s love remains untouched by physical closeness, expressed instead through the subtleties of glances and whispered words. The poem is imbued with an almost dreamlike quality, portraying love as pure, cautious, and innocent.
Set in the small town’s local cinema, the poem reflects a shared experience and cherished pastime. A shilling buys not only a ticket but also a rare escape from the constraints that govern their young lives. Their brief encounter at the cinema gives their night a sense of “certainty” that holds a dreamlike allure, despite the constraints placed upon their love. Each moment is treasured, unspoken but quietly understood. In its simplicity, the cinema outing becomes a scene of tenderness, allowing their connection to exist in a world of imagination and potential.
Themes of Innocence and Restraint
In the poem, the young couple’s feelings for each other are framed within a world of restriction and modesty. Each gesture and glance carry significance as they navigate a relationship held in quiet regard, never violating the bounds of social expectation. This sense of restraint lends a dignified purity to their love, a connection experienced in small, meaningful exchanges. Their moments together are marked by an innocence that reflects the social codes of their time and place, allowing their affection to remain unspoiled by external pressures or physicality.
The cinema serves as a space where they can be alone together, if only for a short while. Within this setting, the limitations on their love become intertwined with the world of fantasy that cinema itself represents, a brief, protected haven where dreams and emotions are allowed to grow quietly. The couple’s connection, though never physical, is rich with tender undercurrents, conveyed through the restrained language of unspoken affection.
Imagery and Symbolism
The poem’s title, "A Shilling for a Dream," symbolises the modest cost of moments that feel priceless to the young couple. Their experience, though ordinary, becomes a treasured escape, symbolising the purity and innocence of their young love. The phrase “clandestine smiles and glances” reflects the subtlety of their connection, while the image of “her white ribbons” and “silver cross and bracelets” places her within a world of innocence and grace. This symbolic language allows the poem to communicate a quiet yearning that is unspoken but deeply felt.
The references to nature within the poem, such as “mimosa blossom” and “yellow sands,” draw on the beauty and tranquillity of their surroundings, linking their love to the landscape that frames their lives. The simplicity of these images reflects the purity of their relationship, and the language itself creates a pastoral backdrop that enhances the sense of innocence and timelessness. These natural images evoke the lush, sunlit landscape of Cyprus, grounding their love in a space both private and shared.
Cultural and Religious Context
The poem’s cultural setting, steeped in religious and social conservatism, serves as both a framework and a barrier for the young couple’s affection. The presence of “pious priests” and “sombre masters” implies the watchful eyes that govern every action, ensuring that moral codes are upheld. This environment defines the boundaries of their relationship, where love remains chaste and contained. The poem does not question these restrictions but instead reveals the quiet beauty that can arise within them, portraying a relationship that grows in the shadows, unseen and unacknowledged by those around them.
Their love, though small in expression, carries an almost sacred reverence, one that exists within the moral parameters of their society. By depicting their love within these boundaries, the poem presents an innocent affection untouched by external desire, suggesting a form of love that is deeply spiritual, even divine in its restraint.
Main Poetic Imagery
The girl’s “white ribbons” and the “modesty of her startled dawn” evoke her purity and innocence. Her whisper of “you” captures a deeply personal yet modest confession, suggesting an affection unspoiled by words. Her silence carries an honesty that resonates with the careful language of their society, where love is seldom spoken aloud and must remain shrouded in modesty. This restrained expression becomes a defining element of their love, endowing it with a profound depth that might have been lost in a less restrictive environment.
By ending on the quiet whisper of “you,” the poem conveys a love that finds its expression in the unspoken, a private, precious affection shielded by the piety and modesty of a religious world. The poem captures the essence of an unconsummated love—a love that remains untouched, existing in the fragile beauty of a shared dream that remains theirs alone.
As a part of Cyprus Poems, "A Shilling for a Dream" reflects the experiences of young love in a past Cyprus, where moral strictness shapes the emotions of those in its midst. The poem offers a poignant look at the nuances of Cyprus poetry, where innocence and restraint meet in the tender exchanges of a young couple. Set in a world where love is expressed in glances and whispered words, the poem becomes a tender exploration of youth, innocence, and unspoken connection that defines "Cyprus Poems" in its timeless, understated beauty.
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