Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Outreme" by Fanny Howe was first published in 2001 in the collection "On the Ground". "Outremer" is a French word meaning "overseas" or "across the sea". The poem explores themes of displacement and identity through the speaker's connection to the figure of the Crusader and their experiences of travel and longing.

Explanation:

The poem begins with the speaker describing their connection to the figure of the Crusader, who they have known since childhood. The speaker feels drawn to this figure, despite the Crusader's historical role in violence and oppression. The speaker then goes on to describe their travels across the world, and how they have felt both at home and alienated in different places. The poem ends with the speaker expressing a sense of longing for a place where they truly belong.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: Free verse
• Theme: Identity, displacement, travel, history
• Imagery: The Crusader figure, descriptions of different places and landscapes
• Tone: Reflective, nostalgic, contemplative
• Sound: Alliteration, repetition, internal rhyme
• Language: Use of French words and phrases, simple and direct language
• Figurative language: Metaphors of travel and displacement
• Structure: Four stanzas of varying length, with no strict rhyme or meter
• Symbolism: The figure of the Crusader, representing historical violence and oppression
• Emotion: A sense of longing and a search for identity and belonging

Conclusion:

"Outremer" is a reflective and contemplative poem that explores themes of displacement, identity, and longing through the lens of the figure of the Crusader and the speaker's experiences of travel. Through its use of vivid imagery and a reflective tone, the poem invites the reader to consider their own relationship to history, travel, and the search for identity and belonging.

Poem Snippet:

"Crusader, I knew you

before I knew anything,

when you returned in a poor box

from the wars over the sea."

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