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The Annotated Edition

ACON by H. D.

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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A speaker rushes to gather healing herbs and invokes the spirits of the woods and sea to provide gifts and medicines for a woman named Hyella, who is seriously ill.

Poet
H. D.
Era
Modernist (1924)
Themes
death, hope, nature
The PoemFull text

ACON

H. D., 1924

I Bear me to Dictaeus, and to the steep slopes; to the river Erymanthus. I choose spray of dittany, cyperum, frail of flower, buds of myrrh, all-healing herbs, close pressed in calathes. For she lies panting, drawing sharp breath, broken with harsh sobs, she, Hyella, whom no god pities. II Dryads haunting the groves, nereids who dwell in wet caves, for all the white leaves of olive-branch, and early roses, and ivy wreaths, woven gold berries, which she once brought to your altars, bear now ripe fruits from Arcadia, and Assyrian wine to shatter her fever. The light of her face falls from its flower, as a hyacinth, hidden in a far valley, perishes upon burnt grass. Pales, bring gifts, bring your Phoenician stuffs, and do you, fleet-footed nymphs, bring offerings, Illyrian iris, and a branch of shrub, and frail-headed poppies.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A speaker rushes to gather healing herbs and invokes the spirits of the woods and sea to provide gifts and medicines for a woman named Hyella, who is seriously ill. The poem reads like a prayer and a frantic quest—everyone is being called upon to assist, yet the atmosphere is bleak as it seems no god is listening. By the end, Hyella is likened to a hyacinth wilting in a parched valley, leaving the outcome feeling uncertain at best.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. Bear me to Dictaeus, / and to the steep slopes;

    Editor's note

    The speaker begins in the middle of a request, urgently asking to be taken to Mount Dictaeus in Crete and the river Erymanthus—two locations tied to wild, sacred nature in Greek mythology. The sense of urgency is clear: this isn't a casual trip but a frantic mission. The speaker must get to these isolated, lush areas quickly.

  2. I choose spray of dittany, / cyperum, frail of flower,

    Editor's note

    Dittany, a herb from Crete, was well-known in ancient times for its ability to heal wounds—Virgil even has Aeneas healed by it. Cyperum (galingale) and myrrh were also part of ancient medicine and rituals. The term "all-healing herbs" suggests the speaker is collecting everything at hand, creating a sort of frantic assortment of remedies packed into a wicker basket (calathes). The use of the word "frail" subtly hints at the poem's theme of fragility.

  3. For she lies panting, / drawing sharp breath,

    Editor's note

    Now we learn the reason for the herbs. Hyella — a name that resonates with the Greek words for water or forest — is gravely ill, depicted with sharp detail: panting, sobbing, shattered. The phrase "whom no god pities" hits hard emotionally in the first section. All this struggle unfolds in a universe that seems indifferent.

  4. Dryads / haunting the groves,

    Editor's note

    The second section begins by addressing nature spirits directly — the dryads (tree nymphs) and nereids (sea nymphs). H. D. mentions the gifts that Hyella once offered to these spirits: olive branches, roses, and ivy wreaths adorned with gold berries. The reasoning here is mutual: she honored you, so now you owe her. It feels more like a bargaining prayer than a confident one.

  5. bear now ripe fruits from Arcadia, / and Assyrian wine

    Editor's note

    The speaker requests the nymphs to gather the most luxurious items available—fruit from Arcadia, which represents the Greek ideal of pastoral beauty, and wine from Assyria, symbolizing the exotic and distant East. The aim is to "shatter her fever," using a strong verb that highlights the urgency of the situation. You can't simply ease a fever this severe; it needs to be broken.

  6. The light of her face falls from its flower, / as a hyacinth,

    Editor's note

    This is the poem's most concentrated image. Hyella's beauty and vitality are likened to a hyacinth — a flower rich with myth (the youth Hyacinthus was killed and turned into the flower by Apollo). Here, the hyacinth lies hidden in a valley, dying on scorched grass, unnoticed and without aid. The simile serves a dual purpose: it laments Hyella's decline and subtly hints that she may not make it through.

  7. Pales, / bring gifts,

    Editor's note

    Pales is a Roman god of shepherds and their flocks, which makes for an interesting choice in a predominantly Greek context — H. D. mixes mythologies with ease. In the final stanza, she lists various offerings: Phoenician cloth (luxury items from the ancient trading culture), Illyrian iris (a plant valued for perfume and medicinal uses), and poppy branches. While poppies are known for inducing sleep and easing pain, they also symbolize death. The poem concludes with this uncertainty — is it comfort or oblivion? We can't quite say.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone feels both urgent and mournful — like someone racing to help but already fearing it might be too late. H. D. uses brief, clipped language that intensifies the emotional impact. There's a sense of reverence when the herbs and spirits are mentioned, yet beneath that, you can sense deep grief and helplessness. The line "whom no god pities" completely strips away the ceremonial tone, allowing the despair to surface.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Healing herbs (dittany, cyperum, myrrh)
The herbs symbolize the struggle against suffering—the finest medicine of the ancient world. However, collecting them is also driven by love and desperation. Their delicate nature ("frail of flower") reflects Hyella's own vulnerability, and the reality that they might not be sufficient lingers in the background.
The hyacinth on burnt grass
The hyacinth represents Hyella herself — stunning, concealed, and fading away unnoticed. In Greek mythology, the hyacinth sprang from the blood of a young man who died, giving the flower a narrative of sorrow. By placing it on "burnt grass," we strip away any pastoral solace: this is not a garden but a barren, uncaring terrain.
Calathes (wicker basket)
The calathes is a subtle detail that anchors the poem in the tangible world. It's the container where the speaker gathers herbs — a simple, human item contrasted with the grand mythological backdrop of nymphs and gods. It gently conveys: this is something one person can truly accomplish.
Poppies
Poppies conclude the poem, holding a dual significance. In ancient times, they were used to alleviate pain and induce sleep, yet they are also linked to death and the underworld. Requesting poppies as a final gift keeps the poem ambiguous: are they intended to comfort Hyella or to help her transition?
Dryads and Nereids
The nature spirits embody the healing potential of the natural world, but they need to be approached, negotiated with, and reminded of past debts. Their silence thus far (no god pities Hyella) makes them symbols of both indifference and hope. Calling upon them is a leap of faith that might not receive a response.

§06Historical context

Historical context

H. D. (Hilda Doolittle) wrote this poem during the early Imagist period, around 1913–1915, when she was part of a vibrant literary circle in London that included notable figures like Ezra Pound and Richard Aldington. Imagism called for clear, concrete images devoid of Victorian sentiment, and "Acon" exemplifies this perfectly: every line serves a purpose, focusing on a specific plant, place, or physical sensation. H. D. had a strong affinity for ancient Greek lyricism — particularly Sappho — and many of her poems transport readers to a mythological Mediterranean world that feels both intellectual and deeply personal. "Acon" references Greek and Roman sources (like Virgil's mention of dittany in the Aeneid, the myth of Hyacinthus, and the pastoral deity Pales) but reshapes them into something that feels more like a heartfelt expression of distress rather than a mere classical exercise. The name Hyella might be H. D.'s own creation, yet it resonates with Greek words for water and forest.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Hyella isn't found in traditional Greek or Roman mythology; she’s likely a creation of H. D. Her name resonates with the Greek *hyle* (meaning forest or matter) and *hyalos* (meaning water or glass). She serves as a cherished character, possibly representing someone H. D. was close to, who is seriously ill and lacks the protection of the gods.

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Themes in this poem

Poems about deathPoems about hopePoems about naturePoems about sorrow