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CLARE MARKET by Eugene Field

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A speaker strolls through Clare Market, a lively street market in London, and observes three contrasting reactions: a wealthy man's disdain, a poor child's yearning, and the speaker's own joyful appreciation.

Poet
Eugene Field
Themes
beauty, home, loneliness
The PoemFull text

CLARE MARKET

Eugene Field

In the market of Clare, so cheery the glare Of the shops and the booths of the tradespeople there; That I take a delight on a Saturday night In walking that way and in viewing the sight. For it's here that one sees all the objects that please-- New patterns in silk and old patterns in cheese, For the girls pretty toys, rude alarums for boys, And baubles galore while discretion enjoys-- But here I forbear, for I really despair Of naming the wealth of the market of Clare. A rich man comes down from the elegant town And looks at it all with an ominous frown; He seems to despise the grandiloquent cries Of the vender proclaiming his puddings and pies; And sniffing he goes through the lanes that disclose Much cause for disgust to his sensitive nose; And free of the crowd, he admits he is proud That elsewhere in London this thing's not allowed; He has seen nothing there but filth everywhere, And he's glad to get out of the market of Clare. But the child that has come from the gloom of the slum Is charmed by the magic of dazzle and hum; He feasts his big eyes on the cakes and the pies, And they seem to grow green and protrude with surprise At the goodies they vend and the toys without end-- And it's oh! if he had but a penny to spend! But alas, he must gaze in a hopeless amaze At treasures that glitter and torches that blaze-- What sense of despair in this world can compare With that of the waif in the market of Clare? So, on Saturday night, when my custom invites A stroll in old London for curious sights, I am likely to stray by a devious way Where goodies are spread in a motley array, The things which some eyes would appear to despise Impress me as pathos in homely disguise, And my battered waif-friend shall have pennies to spend, So long as I've got 'em (or chums that will lend); And the urchin shall share in my joy and declare That there's beauty and good in the market of Clare.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A speaker strolls through Clare Market, a lively street market in London, and observes three contrasting reactions: a wealthy man's disdain, a poor child's yearning, and the speaker's own joyful appreciation. The poem concludes with the speaker vowing to give his pennies to the hungry child, allowing the boy to truly enjoy what he can only gaze at. Ultimately, this poem explores how our circumstances influence our perceptions of the same location.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. In the market of Clare, so cheery the glare / Of the shops and the booths of the tradespeople there;

    Editor's note

    The speaker paints a vivid picture filled with affection. The market buzzes with noise, colors, and a variety of goods — silk, cheese, toys, and trinkets. The lively, bouncy rhythm (anapestic tetrameter) reflects the excitement of a Saturday-night market crowd. The speaker confesses he can't even name everything available, which highlights just how wonderfully overwhelming the place is.

  2. A rich man comes down from the elegant town / And looks at it all with an ominous frown;

    Editor's note

    Now we see the same market from a different perspective. The wealthy visitor finds it smelly, loud, and beneath him. Field uses "grandiloquent" sarcastically— the rich man interprets the vendors' calls as ridiculous noise instead of vibrant commerce. His final judgment is that London is fortunate this type of market isn't permitted everywhere. He embodies a class that confuses comfort with virtue and disgust with good taste.

  3. But the child that has come from the gloom of the slum / Is charmed by the magic of dazzle and hum;

    Editor's note

    This section captures the poem's emotional heart. The waif from the slums views the market with pure wonder—cakes, pies, toys, and torchlight. But without any money, he can only watch. Field's question at the end of the stanza—"What sense of despair in this world can compare / With that of the waif in the market of Clare?"—hits hardest. It shifts the market from a joyful scene to one highlighting stark, visible inequality.

  4. So, on Saturday night, when my custom invites / A stroll in old London for curious sights,

    Editor's note

    The speaker shifts back to his own perspective and shares his thoughts. While the rich man views the scene as dirty and the waif sees it as a distant dream, the speaker recognizes "pathos in homely disguise" — suggesting that everyday life holds true suffering if one takes the time to notice. His approach is both practical and kind: he intends to give the street child some coins to use. The closing lines emphasize that beauty and goodness truly exist in the market, but they are only reachable for those willing to share what they possess.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone shifts intentionally throughout the poem. The opening stanza feels light and celebratory, reminiscent of a music-hall song. The second stanza becomes dry and satirical as Field critiques the rich man's snobbery without raising his voice. The third stanza transitions into something truly tender and sorrowful, capturing the child's wonder and helplessness with genuine emotion, avoiding sentimentality. The final stanza concludes with warmth and quiet determination. Field avoids being preachy; instead, the moral arises from the differences between the three figures rather than from any lecturing.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The market itself
Clare Market isn't merely a backdrop; it acts as a reflection of society. The familiar stalls, scents, and sounds convey different experiences based on whether you come with cash, without cash, or with a willingness to connect. It represents the world we live in: abundant with good things, yet not accessible to all.
The penny
A single coin is the hinge of the whole poem. The waif's despair centers around not having one; the speaker's generosity shines through in giving a few. The penny symbolizes the small, tangible actions that connect abundance and hardship — Field isn’t advocating for revolution, but rather for simple human kindness.
The torchlight and glitter
The blazing torches and sparkling goods that captivate the waif represent both desire and exclusion. They highlight what the child cannot attain. In this context, light isn't comforting; instead, it makes the shadows of poverty even more apparent.
The rich man's frown
His "ominous frown" and sensitive nose reflect a privileged mindset that leads to a sort of blindness. He sees the market merely as a problem to control, never as a community to engage with. His disgust symbolizes the moral price of being detached.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Eugene Field penned this poem in the early 1890s, a time when London's street markets were cherished landmarks and hotbeds for discussions on urban poverty. Clare Market, situated in the Strand area, was a historic working-class market famous for its lively atmosphere, distinct odors, and cramped stalls. It was torn down in 1900 to facilitate the Aldwych development. Field, an American journalist and poet known for children's poems like "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod," spent time in London and was captivated by scenes of daily life. During the 1880s and 1890s, there was a growing public consciousness about the harsh realities of slum life—Charles Booth's poverty surveys and journalists like W.T. Stead highlighted the stark divide between the wealthy and the impoverished in London, turning it into a pressing political matter. Field's poem contributes to this dialogue, but it does so through emotion and personal experience rather than through debate.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Clare Market was a bustling street market for the working class in the Strand area of central London, functioning for several centuries. It was torn down around 1900 as part of the urban redevelopment efforts for Aldwych and Kingsway. Today, much of the land where the market once thrived is home to the London School of Economics.

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