Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "After Work" by Jane Hirshfield, the human and the natural world meet in a moment of shared silence and understanding, conveyed through the simple yet profound act of feeding corncobs to horses. The poem, in exploring this relationship, raises questions about the limitations of human knowledge, and what can be learned from these often-overlooked, fleeting experiences.

The setting of the poem is mundane, almost pastoral. The narrator "stop[s] the car along the pasture edge," and yet it's clear that this is not a simple pause but a ritual. The details of "bags of corncobs from the back" hint at an action that has been repeated, honed over time. The whistles, "one for each," indicate a familiarity between human and horse, a relationship that is based on mutual trust and an unspoken understanding.

As the horses draw near, their movement is described as "deepened and muscular," "conjured out of sleep." These details serve to emphasize the earthy, physical reality of the horses, grounding them in their own world, one that is "beyond communion," beyond human understanding. And yet, they respond to the call, manifesting a sort of non-verbal communication that transcends the barriers between species. They offer "animal-knowledge," a wisdom that humans can only glimpse, coming from a world so different from ours yet intersecting with it in meaningful ways.

In one of the most compelling lines of the poem, the horses are "careful of my fingers," displaying a delicacy and respect that stands in sharp contrast to how animals are often perceived-as instinct-driven, without thought or consideration. This small action, this simple 'care,' elevates the scene from mere feeding to an exchange of respect, "the respect which is due to strangers."

This idea is further expanded in the final lines: "and in the night, their mares' eyes shine, reflecting stars, the entire, outer light of the world here." The horses' eyes, reflecting the stars, seem to hold within them the very essence of the world, its "entire, outer light." It's a moment of quiet revelation, where the human comes face-to-face with a reality bigger than themselves, embodied in the gaze of the other. It suggests that in these small interactions-with the land, with animals-we might find reflections of greater truths.

"After Work"" does a remarkable job of capturing the intersection of two worlds through the simple, yet meaningful action of a nightly ritual. It elevates a seemingly trivial moment to a spiritual experience, hinting at the profound wisdom that can be found in the natural world. It's a short but resonant piece that encourages readers to look beyond the mundane and find the extraordinary in everyday interactions. Through its focus on this intimate, nocturnal meeting, the poem communicates something elemental about respect, about the unknown, and about the silent wisdom that animals can offer, if only we stop to listen.

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