Critical Analysis of the Poem "On Buying and Selling"

“And a merchant said, Speak to us of Buying and Selling. 

And he answered and said: To you the earth yields her fruit…”

The poem begins in a conversational tone, almost like a dialogue from a play. The merchant’s request sets the theme, and the response immediately elevates some mundane activity to near-sacred. The earth is personified as generous, suggesting that abundance is natural- if only we know how to use it ethically and responsibly.

 

“It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth that you shall find abundance… 

Yet unless the exchange be in love and kindly justice, it will but lead some to greed and others to hunger.”

Here, the poet introduces his central moral argument: trade is not inherently wrong, but it must be fair in nature. The contrast between “abundance” and “hunger” shows how the same system can uplift or exploit, depending on intent. The poet uses a cautionary tone in this part of the poem.

 

“When in the market place you toilers… meet the weavers and the potters… 

Invoke then the master spirit of the earth…”

This section paints a vivid picture of a bustling market. The poet  urges readers to invite a higher conscience (“master spirit”) into everyday transactions. The marketplace becomes a metaphor for society itself, where value must be weighed not just monetarily, but in fairness for equality and justice.

 

“And suffer not the barren-handed… who would sell their words for your labour.”

This is one of the poem’s most pointed critiques. The poet warns against those who exploit without contributing- perhaps a veiled reference to middlemen, speculators, or even corrupt officials present in these market places.

 

“And if there come the singers and the dancers… buy of their gifts also.

Here, the poet expands the definition of value. Art, music, and beauty should not be treated as just luxuries- they can be treated as ‘raiment and food for your soul’. This line challenges capitalist hierarchies that prioritise material goods over creative expression and acknowledging those who pursue these for a livelihood. The tone becomes almost celebratory.

 

“Before you leave the market place, see that no one has gone his way with empty hands…”

The poem ends with a moral imperative: equity. No one should be left behind. The final image of the ‘master spirit of the earth’ not sleeping peacefully until all are satisfied reinforces the spiritual weight of economic justice.

 

The poem is written in free verse- there is no consistent rhyme scheme or lyrical pattern. This mirrors the organic, flowing nature of the poet’s philosophy.