Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer..." is a poem by Robert Creeley that was first published in 1962. The poem is a critique of scientific rationalism and the limitations of scientific knowledge. The poem contrasts the abstract and theoretical knowledge of the astronomer with the sensory and intuitive experience of the speaker, emphasizing the importance of subjective experience and the limitations of objective analysis.

Explanation:

The poem begins with the speaker listening to a learned astronomer give a lecture on the stars and the cosmos. The speaker is initially intrigued by the astronomer's knowledge and expertise, but soon becomes bored and restless. The poem then shifts to the speaker's own sensory experience of the night sky, emphasizing the importance of direct perception and sensory experience over abstract knowledge. The poem ends with the speaker leaving the lecture hall and venturing outside to experience the beauty and wonder of the natural world for himself.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter. The poem is structured as a series of short stanzas that build on one another, with a clear narrative arc.
• Imagery: The poem contains vivid sensory imagery that contrasts the dry, theoretical knowledge of the astronomer with the sensory and intuitive experience of the natural world. The imagery emphasizes the importance of subjective experience and the limitations of objective analysis.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is reflective and contemplative, with a sense of wonder and curiosity underlying the speaker's words.
• Theme: The poem explores the themes of scientific rationalism, the limitations of objective knowledge, and the importance of subjective experience and sensory perception.

Conclusion:

"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer..." is a powerful critique of scientific rationalism and the limitations of objective knowledge. The poem emphasizes the importance of subjective experience and sensory perception, and challenges the notion that knowledge can be reduced to abstract principles and theories. The poem is a reminder of the beauty and wonder of the natural world, and the importance of engaging with the world through direct perception and sensory experience.

Poem Snippet:

"When I heard the learn'd astronomer,

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns

before me,

When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide,

and measure them,

When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured

with much applause in the lecture-room,

How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,

Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself,

In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,

Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars."

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