Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Route Six" is a poem by Stanley Kunitz, first published in 1972. Kunitz was an American poet who served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2000-2001.

Explanation:

The poem is a nostalgic reflection on a road trip along Route 6, a highway that stretches from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach, California. The speaker describes the landscape and scenery along the way, including small towns, fields, and ocean vistas. The poem also touches on themes of memory, longing, and the passing of time.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is composed of three stanzas of varying lengths, with no consistent rhyme scheme.
• Theme: The poem explores the themes of memory, nostalgia, and the passage of time.
• Imagery: The poem is filled with sensory images of the landscape along Route 6, including fields, towns, and ocean views.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is wistful and contemplative, conveying a sense of longing and nostalgia.
• Sound: The poem's use of repetition and internal rhyme creates a sense of rhythm and musicality.
• Language: The language of the poem is simple and direct, emphasizing the beauty and significance of the natural world.
• Figurative language: The use of metaphor and personification in the poem helps to convey the speaker's emotional response to the landscape and the passage of time.
• Structure: The structure of the poem is loose and free-flowing, allowing for a sense of movement and exploration.
• Symbolism: Route 6 is a symbol of the passage of time and the impermanence of life.

Conclusion:

"Route Six" is a poignant and reflective poem that celebrates the beauty of the natural world while also acknowledging the passing of time. Kunitz's use of vivid imagery, figurative language, and symbolism creates a sense of nostalgia and longing for a time gone by. The poem's loose structure and musical language convey a sense of movement and exploration, as the speaker journeys along Route 6 and through their own memories. 

Poem Snippet:

"On Route 6 we drove, with heart and soul,

Past towns and fields and ocean's roll,

Longing for days that slipped away,

As time flowed on, and we could not stay."