Advice to a Prophet By Richard Wilbur - Giggle Poems

Original Poem：

When you come, as you soon must, to the streets of our city,
Mad-eyed from stating the obvious,
Not proclaiming our fall but begging us
In God’s name to have self-pity,
Spare us all word of the weapons, their force and range,
The long numbers that rocket the mind;
Our slow, unreckoning hearts will be left behind,
Unable to fear what is too strange.
Nor shall you scare us with talk of the death of the race.
How should we dream of this place without us?—
The sun mere fire, the leaves untroubled about us,
A stone look on the stone’s face?
Speak of the world’s own change. Though we cannot conceive
Of an undreamt thing, we know to our cost
How the dreamt cloud crumbles, the vines are blackened by frost,
How the view alters. We could believe,
If you told us so, that the white-tailed deer will slip
Into perfect shade, grown perfectly shy,
The lark avoid the reaches of our eye,
The jack-pine lose its knuckled grip
On the cold ledge, and every torrent burn
As Xanthus once, its gliding trout
Stunned in a twinkling. What should we be without
The dolphin’s arc, the dove’s return,
These things in which we have seen ourselves and spoken?
Ask us, prophet, how we shall call
Our natures forth when that live tongue is all
Dispelled, that glass obscured or broken
In which we have said the rose of our love and the clean
Horse of our courage, in which beheld
The singing locust of the soul unshelled,
And all we mean or wish to mean.
Ask us, ask us whether with the worldless rose
Our hearts shall fail us; come demanding
Whether there shall be lofty or long standing
When the bronze annals of the oak-tree close.

Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem

This poem is a profound meditation on change, loss, and the human connection to nature and identity. The speaker addresses a visitor or prophet who comes to the city with warnings and pleas. Instead of focusing on the obvious threats like weapons or destruction, the poem urges a deeper reflection on what it means to lose the natural world and the symbolic elements that shape human experience.

The poem rejects fear of the "death of the race" or humanity’s end, suggesting that the true loss is the disappearance of the natural world and the symbols through which people understand themselves — the dolphin's arc, the dove's return, the rose of love, and the horse of courage. These images represent the living language of nature and spirit that humans have always used to express their emotions and identity.

The poet asks a poignant question: if these natural symbols and the "live tongue" — the language of nature and spirit — disappear, how will humans call forth their true natures? The poem evokes a sense of mourning for the loss of connection with the world and a warning about the consequences of such loss.

Background and Author Introduction

This poem likely belongs to a tradition of environmental and existential poetry, which explores humanity’s relationship with nature and the spiritual consequences of environmental degradation. The author, though unnamed here, is someone deeply concerned with the fragility of the natural world and the cultural meanings embedded in it.

The poem’s style and themes suggest influence from modernist poets who blend vivid natural imagery with philosophical questions about existence and identity. It reflects a period when ecological awareness was rising, possibly mid-20th century or later, when poets began to confront the impact of industrialization and war on the environment.

Reflection and Personal Response

Reading this poem invites us to reflect on our own relationship with nature and the symbols we take for granted. It challenges us to consider what we would lose if the natural world were to vanish or become alien to us. The poem’s imagery is both beautiful and haunting, urging us to cherish and protect the living world that shapes our identity and spirit.

For students and children, this poem can inspire a sense of wonder about nature and a deeper understanding of how language and symbols connect us to the world around us. It also encourages empathy and responsibility for the environment.

Educational Value and Learning Points

From this poem, students can learn:

• The use of symbolism: Understanding how natural elements like the rose, horse, dolphin, and dove symbolize emotions, courage, and identity.
• Themes of change and loss: Exploring how poets express complex feelings about environmental change and human existence.
• Imagery and metaphor: Appreciating vivid descriptions that evoke sensory experiences and emotions.
• Critical thinking: Reflecting on the poem’s questions about identity, nature, and the future.

In life and learning, this poem can be used to:

• Foster environmental awareness and responsibility.
• Encourage creative writing inspired by nature.
• Discuss the impact of human actions on the world.
• Explore how language shapes our understanding of ourselves and our environment.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Who is the speaker addressing in the poem?
2. What does the poem suggest is more important than the weapons and their power?
3. Identify three natural symbols mentioned in the poem and explain what they represent.
4. What does the poem mean by "the live tongue"?
5. How does the poem describe the consequences of losing connection with nature?
6. Why does the poem ask, "How should we dream of this place without us?"
7. What feelings does the poem evoke about change and loss?
8. How can this poem inspire us to think about our relationship with the environment?

Answers

1. The speaker is addressing a visitor or prophet who comes to warn or plead with the people of the city.
2. The poem suggests that the loss of the natural world and the symbolic language of nature is more important than the power of weapons.
3. The dolphin’s arc (freedom and grace), the dove’s return (peace and hope), and the rose of love (affection and beauty) are natural symbols representing human emotions and identity.
4. "The live tongue" refers to the language of nature and spirit through which humans express their deepest feelings and understand themselves.
5. Losing connection with nature leads to a loss of identity, spirit, and the ability to call forth true human nature.
6. The poem questions how people can imagine their home or future without themselves and the natural world that defines them.
7. The poem evokes feelings of mourning, fear, and reflection on inevitable change and loss.
8. It inspires us to appreciate and protect the environment as essential to our identity and survival.