T.S. Eliot 1888-1965

The "Journey of the Magi" narrative is based upon the tradition of the three wise men who journeyed to Bethlehem to worship the infant Christ. Rather than giving the traditional biblical story that most of us are used to hearing, the author did a brilliant job and turned the story into poetry. However, the story was told from the viewpoint of one of the wise men who talks about the difficulties that they faced along the journey and the outcome of their trip and how their lives were changed.

"A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter." (page 1215, lines 1-5)

The poem started off on a frustrated and depressing note as the speaker, who was one of the wise men, describes the journey. He stated that it was a long arduous journey against all the elements that winter brought with it and to say that it was cold would be an understatement because it was the "dead" of winter. This is so different from the biblical version, which does not seem to mention anything bad or difficult about the journey that the wise men made. The speaker then continues with the words, "And the camels galled, sore footed, refactory, lying down in the melting snow" (page 1215) to emphasized that they had a lot going against them to make their traveling terrible. To make matters worse, the only form of transportation "the camels" were tired and smelly which made it very difficult for him to continue on his way. It seems as if there were no comfort for these wise men. Someone having read this poem might admit that this is the way it seems as if it is with life in general, when one problem starts expect to have several other problems.

Then as the speaker continues the journey, doubts and regrets were at the forefront of his mind as he remembers the past as stated in these word, "There were times we regretted the summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, and the silken girls bringing sherbet" (page 1215, lines 8-10). Those memories of the past compared to what they are experiencing now makes them regret ever having those memories or even starting this trip. I am sure the speaker had second thoughts about going back. The speaker then continues to tell of other complications of the journey, such as "night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, and the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly.....with the voices singing in our ears, saying that this was all folly" (page 1215, lines 13-19). Just at the time when they needed some encouragement, they were told by those around them that there was no need for this journey, voices that tempt them to cease their foolish journey. Oh how sad it is when we are faced with life's problems and there is no one around to encourage us or if people are around they condemn us trying to blame us for the problems that is happening in our life's. I cannot image how discouraged these wise men were , but they still continue on their journey.

Then when it seems as if all hope is lost, the men reached their "temperate valley", which I am assuming is Bethlehem. Then the tone of the poem changes to a positive note, to one of hope. Even the weather changes for the better as stated in these words, "Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation, with running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness and three trees on the low sky" (page 1215, lines 22-24). These lines, I am assuming meant the newness, relief or rebirth of entering into Bethlehem and then I was a bit lost when I read the other seven lines. I am not sure how "a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel" or "six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver" fits into the poem. Then I remember from Sunday School the Crucifixion story and how Judas had betrayed Jesus for twenty pieces of silver, so I am not sure if the speaker was making reference to the child upcoming death. The speaker then continued by stating, "And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory" (page 1216, lines 30-31). From these lines it seems as if the speaker was disappointed at the condition of the place where they had found the child but for me this was exactly where Jesus was born. The Christ child was born in a manager, at the lowest of places, a stable where the animals were kept, so that no matter how poor we are we can accept Him as Lord and King. I was a little disappointed that nothing of significance was said about the baby in the manager or about his parents.

The speaker then continued in the last stanza with these words, “This: were we led all that way for Birth or Death? There was Birth, certainly, .....hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death" (page 1216, lines 35-39) In these lines it seems as if the speaker is confessing that he does not fully comprehend the significance of the event. It seems as if he was confused and admits a kind of reluctance to believe that anything of significant did occur from the trip because the speaker said, “I had seen birth and death, but had thought they were different” (lines 37-38). It seems as if the birth that they had traveled so far to witness was more like an end than a beginning. So the speaker stated, “We returned to our places, these Kingdoms, but no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, with an alien people clutching their gods. I should be glad of another death” (page 1216, lines 40-43) suggesting that the wise men went back to their homes but they did not blend in with the old ways or pleasures of the old life. They have being changed by seeing this child and will not fall back in their old sinful ways as these people who worshiped their idols. I was a little confused when I read the last sentence because I was not sure if the speaker meant dieing to his old ways and looking to this new birth because of the child, Christ Jesus. So I am going to interpret it to mean that as a Christian, having accepted Jesus we have died to this old man, the sinful ways, even though not perfect, and we have a new birth, a change.