Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | ||||||||
"The Deer Lay Down Their Bones" is a poem by Robinson Jeffers that explores the theme of the cyclical nature of life and death. In the poem, Jeffers describes how deer return to the earth after they die, and how their bones become part of the landscape. The poem begins by describing the beauty and power of the deer as they roam through the wilderness. Jeffers then goes on to describe how the deer eventually die and their bones become part of the natural cycle of life and death. The bones of the deer are described as "white monuments of that superb race" and are said to "whiten the roots of the redwood tree." Jeffers suggests that the deer's bones are not simply discarded, but rather become part of the landscape, and serve as a reminder of the power and beauty of nature. The poem also hints at the idea that death is not the end, but rather a transformation, as the bones of the deer continue to contribute to the vitality of the natural world long after the animal has passed on. Overall, "The Deer Lay Down Their Bones" is a meditation on the natural cycle of life and death, and the way in which all things in the natural world are interconnected. Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DOUBLE ELEGY by MICHAEL S. HARPER A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND |
|