Laura's Contextual Relations 1126

1 Shall I take thee, the Poet said
2 To the propounded word?
3 Be stationed with the Candidates
4 Till I have finer tried

5 The Poet searched Philology
6 And was about to ring
7 For the suspended Candidate
8 There came unsummoned in—

9 That portion of the Vision
10 The Word applied to fill
11 Not unto nomination
12 The Cherubim reveal

(1) “propounded” means “to put forward into consideration” or “to propose”. The “propounded word” probably means “the proposed word” or “the word in consideration”. The Poet must mean that the person he is speaking to has to choose something.

(2) “the word” in this context seems to refer to a contract or a promise of sorts between the poet and the Candidate. In this context, it seems to refer to an engagement of sorts. Is the Poet seeking marriage? It would make sense because the “Candidates” could be those who he is considering marrying.

(3) One definition of “candidate” is “a person who is deserving or seems destined of a certain end or fate”. Another is “a person who is selected by others as a contestant for an office, honor, etc.” The word could mean either in this passage. The Poet could be the grim reaper of sorts, sentencing the “candidates” to death. Or The Poet could be choosing candidates to bestow a certain honor upon. Or the definitions can be combined. The Poet could be choosing someone to bestow the honor of death upon. The Poet could be God.

(4) “Finer” is another form of “fine.” “Fine” means “superior, delicate, excellent, etc.” “Tried” is the past form of “try”, which means “to attempt to do, to accomplish”. In other words, the Poet probably means to “better attempt” to do something. To choose? To think? What does he meant to attempt? Or does he mean “to attempt carefully”? Does he want to put it into careful consideration so he does not make a rash decision?

(5) “Be stationed with the Candidates/ till I have finer tried” sounds like an imperative. It sounds like he is making the candidates wait until he has thought things through. It almost sounds like the infamous, “Next!” or “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”