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Taka Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

interpretation needed

A freind of mine says he is confused by this passage:

I never felt
The feeling that I'm feeling now
Now that I don't
Hear your voice
Or even touch or even kiss your lips
Cause I don't have a choice
What I wouldn't give
To have you lying by my side
We belong together

I'm also kind of puzzed because I'm not sure:
(a) which part 'now that...' and 'cause' modify here (is it 'I'm feeling now something that I never felt+now that I don't hear your voice or even touch or even kiss your lips' and ' I don't hear your voice or even touch or even kiss your lips+cause I don't have a choice'?)
(b) what exactly 'what I wouldn't give' means and which part of the sentences above it belongs to.
  

Top answer

) (b) what exactly 'what I wouldn't give' means and which part of the sentences above it belongs to. This is a common problem with open verse, where the poet uses no punctuation. But I think you're pretty close.

— Philip

  • ) (b) what exactly 'what I wouldn't give' means and which part of the sentences above it belongs to.
  • This is a common problem with open verse, where the poet uses no punctuation.
  • But I think you're pretty close.
  • ".
  • "Cause I don't have a choice" refers to "hear voice + kiss lips".
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13 Answers
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TakaA freind of mine says he is confused by this passage:

I never felt
The feeling that I'm feeling now
Now that I don't
Hear your voice
Or even touch or even kiss your lips
Cause I don't have a choice
What I wouldn't give
To have you lying by my side
We belong together
I'm also kind of puzzed because I'm no
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Hi guys,

To me, it's not clear whether Cause I don't have a choice refers to what comes before, or what comes after.

I think, as grammar fiends, we strive for clarity. However, I guess ambiguity and multiple interpretations are some of poetry's strengths and characteristics?

Best wishes, Clive
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To me "what I wouldn't give" could be understood as "what wouldn't I give"
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Clive,
it's not clear whether Cause I don't have a choice refers to what comes before, or what comes after.

Do you mean it could be 'Cause I don't have a choice, what I wouldn't give to have you lying by my side'? If so, how does it make sense? What does it mean? Does it make sense at all??
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To me, "Cause I don't have a choice" means that her lover has gone away, she can't make him come back.
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To me, "Cause I don't have a choice" means that her lover has gone away, she can't make him come back.

I know. But then how does it relate to 'what I wouldn't give to have you lying by my side'?
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I was used to kissing you and feeling your lips. Now you've left me. You've given me no choice (no hope of return) but to grieve for you. What wouldn't I give etc etc...

Does it make sense?
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What wouldn't I give etc etc...

But Philip says:

what I wouldn't give" is a shortened version of "there is nothing I can think of that I wouldn't give in order to...".

If so, I'd take 'what I wouldn't give' as independent of 'Cause...'
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Philip's & my interpretation are the same, and yes, I think "what I wouldn't give" is independant of 'Cause..." There should be 3 dots after "what I..."
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Ah! I thought you agreed with Clive's idea that 'Cause I don't have a choice' might refers to what comes after'.
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