Original Poem：
1
I can support it no longer.
Laughing ruefully at myself
For all I claim to have suffered
I get up. Damned nightmarer!
It is New Hampshire out here,
It is nearly the dawn.
The song of the whippoorwill stops
And the dimension of depth seizes everything.
2
The whistles of a peabody bird go overhead
Like a needle pushed five times through the air,
They enter the leaves, and come out little changed.
The air is so still
That as they go off through the trees
The love songs of birds do not get any fainter.
3
The last memory I have
Is of a flower that cannot be touched,
Through the bloom of which, all day,
Fly crazed, missing bees.
4
As I climb sweat gets up my nostrils,
For an instant I think I am at the sea,
One summer off Cap Ferrat we watched a black seagull
Straining for the dawn, we stood in the surf,
Grasshoppers splash up where I step,
The mountain laurel crashes at my thighs.
5
There is something joyous in the elegies
Of birds. They seem
Caught up in a formal delight,
Though the mourning dove whistles of despair.
But at last in the thousand elegies
The dead rise in our hearts,
On the brink of our happiness we stop
Like someone on a drunk starting to weep.
6
I kneel at a pool,
I look through my face
At the bacteria I think
I see crawling through the moss.
My face sees me,
The water stirs, the face,
Looking preoccupied,
Gets knocked from its bones.
7
I weighed eleven pounds
At birth, having stayed on
Two extra weeks in the womb.
Tempted by room and fresh air
I came out big as a policeman
Blue-faced, with narrow red eyes.
It was eight days before the doctor
Would scare my mother with me.
Turning and craning in the vines
I can make out through the leaves
The old, shimmering nothingness, the sky.
8
Green, scaly moosewoods ascend,
Tenants of the shaken paradise,
At every wind last night’s rain
Comes splattering from the leaves,
It drops in flurries and lies there,
The footsteps of some running start.
9
From a rock
A waterfall,
A single trickle like a strand of wire,
Breaks into beads halfway down.
I know
The birds fly off
But the hug of the earth wraps
With moss their graves and the giant boulders.
10
In the forest I discover a flower.
The invisible life of the thing
Goes up in flames that are invisible,
Like cellophane burning in the sunlight.
It burns up. Its drift is to be nothing.
In its covertness it has a way
Of uttering itself in place of itself,
Its blossoms claim to float in the Empyrean,
A wrathful presence on the blur of the ground.
The appeal to heaven breaks off.
The petals begin to fall, in self-forgiveness.
It is a flower. On this mountainside it is dying.
Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem
This poem presents a vivid and intimate journey through nature, memory, and self-reflection. The speaker moves through various scenes—dawn in New Hampshire, birdsong, flowers, climbing a mountain, and moments of stillness by a pool—each rich with sensory detail and emotional depth. The poem explores themes of suffering and endurance, the passage of time, life and death, and the interconnectedness of nature and human experience.
The opening stanza sets a tone of weariness and resolve, as the speaker laughs ruefully at their own suffering and rises to face a new day. The natural setting of New Hampshire at dawn symbolizes both an ending and a beginning. The song of the whippoorwill, a bird often associated with mystery and the night, ceases, and the "dimension of depth" seizes everything, suggesting a profound moment of awareness or transformation.
Throughout the poem, birds and flowers symbolize life’s fragility and beauty. The peabody bird's whistle and the mourning dove's despairing call contrast joy and sorrow, reflecting the complex emotions intertwined in the elegies of nature. The speaker’s encounter with a flower that "cannot be touched" and the image of "crazed, missing bees" evoke a sense of loss and longing.
The poem also touches on personal history and identity, as in stanza seven, where the speaker recounts their own birth—large and startling to their mother—connecting the physical self to the natural world through imagery of vines and sky.
The final stanzas focus on the cycle of life and death, with the waterfall's gentle flow, the earth’s embrace of bird graves, and the discovery of a burning, invisible flower that ultimately dies on the mountainside. This symbolizes the transient nature of existence and the quiet dignity in decay and self-forgiveness.
Background and Author Introduction
Though the poem does not explicitly name its author, the style and themes suggest a writer deeply connected to nature and personal introspection, possibly influenced by American nature poetry traditions. The references to New Hampshire and Cap Ferrat hint at places meaningful to the poet, blending personal memory with universal natural imagery.
The poem’s creation likely stems from a reflective period in the author’s life, where observations of the natural world serve as metaphors for inner emotional states. The detailed sensory descriptions and contemplative tone indicate a mature poetic voice, one that invites readers to slow down and engage deeply with both the external environment and their own inner landscapes.
Reflections and Insights
Reading this poem encourages us to appreciate the subtle beauty in everyday natural moments and to recognize the emotional resonance they can hold. It reminds us that suffering and joy coexist, and that nature’s cycles mirror human experiences of growth, loss, and renewal.
For students and children, this poem offers a rich tapestry of imagery and emotion to explore. It teaches the importance of observation skills, emotional expression, and connecting personal experience with the wider world. The poem’s layered meanings can inspire creative writing, discussions about nature, and reflections on life’s challenges and triumphs.
Learning Points and Practical Applications
- Vocabulary Development: Words like whippoorwill, peabody, elegies, Empyrean, and mourning dove expand students’ understanding of nature and poetic language.
- Imagery and Symbolism: The poem is an excellent example of how poets use natural elements to symbolize complex feelings and ideas.
- Emotional Intelligence: Students learn to recognize and articulate feelings such as despair, joy, and forgiveness through poetry.
- Environmental Awareness: The vivid descriptions foster a deeper appreciation for wildlife and natural habitats.
- Creative Writing: Encourages students to write their own poems or stories inspired by nature and personal memories.
- Critical Thinking: Analyzing the poem’s themes and structure helps develop interpretive skills.
In everyday life, students can use these insights to better observe the world around them, find solace in nature during difficult times, and express their emotions constructively. In academic contexts, understanding this poem supports literature studies, poetry analysis, and interdisciplinary learning involving biology and environmental science.
Reading Comprehension Questions
- What time of day is described at the beginning of the poem, and what significance does it hold?
- How do the birds’ songs contribute to the mood of the poem?
- What does the flower symbolize in the poem?
- Describe the speaker’s feelings about their birth as presented in the poem.
- How does the poem portray the relationship between life and death?
- What role does nature play in the speaker’s self-reflection?
- Identify two examples of imagery used in the poem and explain their effect.
- How does the poem balance themes of joy and sorrow?
- What might the "dimension of depth" mentioned in the first stanza represent?
- How can this poem inspire students in their own creative or emotional expression?
Answer Key
- The poem describes nearly dawn in New Hampshire. Dawn symbolizes a new beginning and the end of night’s darkness, reflecting the speaker’s resolve to move forward.
- The birds’ songs create a mix of joy and melancholy, highlighting the beauty and sadness inherent in life.
- The flower symbolizes something beautiful yet untouchable, representing fragility, loss, and the fleeting nature of life.
- The speaker’s birth is described as large and startling, suggesting a strong, vivid entrance into the world and a connection to nature.
- The poem shows life and death as intertwined cycles, with death embraced quietly by the earth and life continuing through memory and nature.
- Nature acts as a mirror for the speaker’s emotions and thoughts, helping them understand themselves better.
- Examples: The "whistles of a peabody bird" create a delicate auditory image; the "waterfall... like a strand of wire" gives a visual sense of fragility. Both deepen the sensory experience.
- The poem balances joy in the birds’ songs and elegies with sorrow in the mourning dove’s call and the dying flower, reflecting life’s complexity.
- The "dimension of depth" likely represents a profound awareness or emotional depth that takes hold at dawn.
- The poem encourages students to observe nature closely, express complex feelings, and find meaning in everyday experiences.
This poem offers a beautiful, multi-layered exploration of nature and self, making it a valuable resource for education and personal growth.
