Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Last Blue" is a poem by Gerald Stern that was first published in his collection "American Sonnets" in 2002.

Explanation:

The poem is about the speaker's experience of watching a blue jay in their backyard. The speaker notes the bird's bright blue color and how it stands out among the other birds in the yard. The speaker then goes on to reflect on their own mortality and the inevitability of death, imagining that the blue jay will outlast them. The poem ends with the speaker expressing a sense of gratitude for the beauty of the natural world.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter. The poem consists of a single stanza of 15 lines.
• Imagery: The poem contains rich visual imagery of the blue jay and the natural world, as well as figurative language such as the bird being described as a "flash of electricity."
• Personification: The speaker personifies the blue jay, imagining it as a powerful force that will outlast the speaker and continue to thrive.
• Symbolism: The blue jay serves as a symbol for the beauty and resilience of the natural world, as well as a reminder of the speaker's own mortality.

Conclusion:

"Last Blue" is a contemplative and meditative poem that explores themes of mortality, nature, and gratitude. The poem's vivid imagery and personification of the blue jay create a sense of connection between the speaker and the natural world, while its symbolism underscores the poem's larger themes.

Poem Snippet:

"and I think of death,

like a gray hair or an imaginary

enemy, but the blue jay

flashes his electric wings."

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