The Bear By Galway Kinnell - Giggle Poems

Original Poem：

1
In late winter
I sometimes glimpse bits of steam
coming up from
some fault in the old snow
and bend close and see it is lung-colored
and put down my nose
and know
the chilly, enduring odor of bear.
2
I take a wolf’s rib and whittle
it sharp at both ends
and coil it up
and freeze it in blubber and place it out
on the fairway of the bears.
And when it has vanished
I move out on the bear tracks,
roaming in circles
until I come to the first, tentative, dark
splash on the earth.
And I set out
running, following the splashes
of blood wandering over the world.
At the cut, gashed resting places
I stop and rest,
at the crawl-marks
where he lay out on his belly
to overpass some stretch of bauchy ice
I lie out
dragging myself forward with bear-knives in my fists.
3
On the third day I begin to starve,
at nightfall I bend down as I knew I would
at a turd sopped in blood,
and hesitate, and pick it up,
and thrust it in my mouth, and gnash it down,
and rise
and go on running.
4
On the seventh day,
living by now on bear blood alone,
I can see his upturned carcass far out ahead, a scraggled,
steamy hulk,
the heavy fur riffling in the wind.
I come up to him
and stare at the narrow-spaced, petty eyes,
the dismayed
face laid back on the shoulder, the nostrils
flared, catching
perhaps the first taint of me as he
died.
I hack
a ravine in his thigh, and eat and drink,
and tear him down his whole length
and open him and climb in
and close him up after me, against the wind,
and sleep.
5
And dream
of lumbering flatfooted
over the tundra,
stabbed twice from within,
splattering a trail behind me,
splattering it out no matter which way I lurch,
no matter which parabola of bear-transcendence,
which dance of solitude I attempt,
which gravity-clutched leap,
which trudge, which groan.
6
Until one day I totter and fall—
fall on this
stomach that has tried so hard to keep up,
to digest the blood as it leaked in,
to break up
and digest the bone itself: and now the breeze
blows over me, blows off
the hideous belches of ill-digested bear blood
and rotted stomach
and the ordinary, wretched odor of bear,
blows across
my sore, lolled tongue a song
or screech, until I think I must rise up
and dance. And I lie still.
7
I awaken I think. Marshlights
reappear, geese
come trailing again up the flyway.
In her ravine under old snow the dam-bear
lies, licking
lumps of smeared fur
and drizzly eyes into shapes
with her tongue. And one
hairy-soled trudge stuck out before me,
the next groaned out,
the next,
the next,
the rest of my days I spend
wandering: wondering
what, anyway,
was that sticky infusion, that rank flavor of blood, that poetry, by which I lived?

Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem

This poem vividly explores a profound and haunting journey through the wilderness, using the metaphor of a bear hunt to delve into themes of survival, transformation, and the intimate connection between humans and nature. The speaker recounts a visceral experience of tracking a bear in late winter, enduring physical hardship and starvation, and ultimately merging with the bear in a symbolic and almost spiritual way.

The poem’s imagery is stark and powerful—steam rising from the snow, the smell of bear, blood splashes on the earth, and the physicality of the hunt. These images evoke a raw, primal world where life and death are closely intertwined. The speaker’s progression from observer to participant, from hunter to almost one with the bear, suggests a deep respect for the animal and the natural cycle.

The poem also touches on themes of endurance and transformation. The speaker’s body and spirit are tested to the limit, enduring hunger and fatigue, and finally experiencing a kind of transcendence through the hunt. The dream sequence and the final awakening hint at a mystical connection, where the boundaries between self and nature blur.

Background of the Poem and Author

This poem is reflective of the style of poets who focus on nature, survival, and the human condition in wild environments, such as Gary Snyder or Ted Hughes. These poets often draw on their experiences in remote landscapes to explore the relationship between humans and the natural world. The poem’s detailed and almost ritualistic depiction of the hunt suggests the author’s deep knowledge of wilderness life and an interest in indigenous or ancient practices.

The poem likely emerges from a context where the wilderness is both a place of danger and profound insight. The author uses the bear hunt as a metaphor for personal struggle and transformation, highlighting the harsh realities of nature while also celebrating its mysterious beauty.

Reflections and Insights

Reading this poem invites us to reflect on our own relationship with nature and the limits of human endurance. It challenges us to consider what it means to live in harmony with the environment, to respect the animals we depend on, and to recognize the poetry in survival itself.

The poem’s intense and sometimes unsettling imagery pushes readers to confront the rawness of life and death, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the natural world’s cycles. It also suggests that true understanding comes from experience and immersion, not just observation.

Educational Value for Children and Students

From this poem, children and students can learn:

• Vocabulary enrichment: Words like lung-colored, blubber, carcass, transcendence, and ravine expand their descriptive language.
• Imagery and symbolism: Understanding how concrete images (steam, blood, bear tracks) convey deeper meanings.
• Themes of survival and respect for nature: The poem teaches about the challenges animals and humans face in the wild, fostering empathy and environmental awareness.
• Narrative structure: The poem’s progression over several days models storytelling through time and experience.
• Metaphorical thinking: Encourages students to think beyond the literal and explore symbolic meanings.

In life and learning, this poem can inspire students to appreciate nature, understand ecosystems, and develop resilience by recognizing the struggles and triumphs in natural cycles. It also offers a model for creative writing and poetry analysis, showing how to use vivid details and emotional depth.

Practical Applications and Learning Challenges

• Science and ecology lessons: Use the poem to discuss animal behavior, winter survival strategies, and ecosystems.
• Creative writing exercises: Students can write their own nature-based poems using sensory details.
• Critical thinking: Analyze the poem’s symbolism and themes, encouraging deeper interpretation.
• Emotional intelligence: Explore feelings of endurance, fear, and connection with nature.
• Challenges: The poem’s complex vocabulary and abstract themes may require guided reading and discussion to fully understand.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What season is described at the beginning of the poem, and what natural phenomenon does the speaker notice?
2. How does the speaker prepare to track the bear?
3. What physical challenges does the speaker face during the hunt?
4. Describe the speaker’s feelings when they finally reach the bear’s carcass.
5. What does the dream in stanza five suggest about the speaker’s experience?
6. How does the poem end, and what question does the speaker ponder about their journey?
7. What themes are prominent throughout the poem?

Answers

1. The poem begins in late winter, and the speaker notices bits of steam rising from the old snow.
2. The speaker takes a wolf’s rib, sharpens it, coils it, freezes it in blubber, and places it on the bear’s path as bait.
3. The speaker experiences starvation, exhaustion, and the physical strain of tracking and following blood splashes.
4. The speaker feels a mix of intensity and awe, staring at the bear’s eyes and face, sensing the animal’s last moments.
5. The dream suggests a transcendence or spiritual connection with the bear and the wilderness.
6. The poem ends with the speaker awakening and wondering about the meaning of the experience and the “poetry” of survival.
7. Prominent themes include survival, transformation, the human-nature relationship, and endurance.

This poem offers a rich, immersive experience that deepens understanding of nature and human resilience, making it an excellent resource for education and personal reflection.