The Walls Do Not Fall, By H. D.

Within her poem, “The Walls Do Not Fall”, H.D. implies that there is a creator that works within the natural world of the shell-fish. This forms the concept that there is a sort of deity embedded within the poem that oversees the creation. In the poem, H.D. continually uses the image of the builder as a representation of the artistic self as a form of creative power. This pattern of images suggests that there is an innate power in the artist to create tangible things that have powerful effects on society. The transfer of power onto the individual is set up within the poem through the suggestion of a god-like figure, the language of art, as well as the concept of self-creation. And so, H.D. allows the individual to take on the role of creator through their own artistic power, which in this text likens them to a god. …show more content…
Initially, the text suggests that there is a sort of “spell” at work that rests within the “sea-shell”, pushing forward the idea that somebody has cast a form of magic over the creatures residing within the shells. Furthermore, the poem clarifies that there is a form of creator at work within the text. The poem refers to a “craftsman” which can be read as a builder that tends to work in an artistic in which they have the skill of an expert (6). The ideal creator possesses an all-powerful mastery in their medium of choice. This is exemplified within H.D.’s text when it is stated that the creator is a “master-mason” who is working on a “stone marvel” (9-10). The image of a sculpture or grand architecture is developed, allowing the artist to stand in as the god-like creator within the