Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | ||||||||
"In every heart there is a god of flowers, just waiting / to stride out of a cloud and lift its wings," the poem continues, introducing an aspirational image. This god of flowers stands as a counterpoint to the coward and procrastinator, encapsulating the dichotomy of potential and fear that resides in every individual. Oliver's phrasing suggests that this god of flowers is latent, a seed of extraordinary potential that, in the right circumstances, could flourish. The notion of striding "out of a cloud" evokes a divine or miraculous transformation, a transcendence of our lesser selves. Then comes the crux of the narrative: "The kookaburras, pressed against the edge of their cage, / asked me to open the door. / Years later I remember how I didn't do it, / how instead I walked away." This is an experience that is laden with meaning; the kookaburras are symbolic of opportunities, decisions, or even lives that one has the power to influence but doesn't. They are described as having "the brown eyes of soft-hearted dogs," infusing them with a warmth and emotional clarity that accentuates the speaker's regret. The kookaburras' wish is humble: "They didn't want to do anything so extraordinary, only to fly / home to their river." This straightforward desire heightens the tragedy of inaction. The river symbolizes a return to their natural state, a desire that goes unanswered. The speaker contemplates their fate: "By now I suppose the great darkness has covered them." The "great darkness" is a foreboding euphemism for death or obscurity, and it serves as a solemn reminder of the cost of inaction and indecision. The speaker's reflection turns inward: "As for myself, I am not yet a god of even the palest flowers. / Nothing else has changed either." This self-assessment is tinged with sorrow and resignation. They haven't transcended their limitations; the coward and procrastinator are still very much present. The phrase "not yet" suggests a glimmer of hope or potential, albeit tarnished by the passage of time and the weight of past inactions. Oliver's poem concludes with evocative imagery that mirrors the emotional state of the speaker: "Someone tosses their white bones to the dung-heap. / The sun shines on the latch of their cage. / I lie in the dark, my heart pounding." The "white bones" symbolize the remains of opportunities lost, tossed aside without reverence. The "latch of their cage" being illuminated by the sun implies that chances for liberation or change, however ignored, are ever-present, making the speaker's inertia all the more painful. Metaphorically, kookaburras, the birds, serve as a multi-layered symbol. On one level, they represent lost opportunities or unfulfilled potentials, standing as a poignant reminder of the consequences of inaction. On another level, the kookaburras could symbolize the neglected or oppressed parts of oneself or society. "Kookaburras" encapsulates the dissonance between potential and action, courage and cowardice, in a narrative that is as compelling as it is unsettling. It's a poignant lesson on the consequences of choices unmade and the haunting residue of regret. Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CHANCE TO LOVE EVERYTHING by MARY OLIVER RODNEY'S RIDE [JULY 3, 1776] by ELBRIDGE STREETER BROOKS THE HAPPIEST HEART by JOHN VANCE CHENEY THE BLUE AND THE GRAY by FRANCIS MILES FINCH TO HIS CONSCIENCE by ROBERT HERRICK SONNETS ON PICTURES: MARY MAGDALEN AT THE DOOR OF SIMON THE PHARISEE by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI SONNET: 25 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE MELANCHOLY by PHILIP EDWARD THOMAS |
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