Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sestina: Travel Notes" is a poem by Weldon Kees, first published in his 1954 collection "The Lost Son and Other Poems". The poem is written in the form of a sestina, a complex form consisting of six stanzas with six end-words that are repeated in a specific pattern throughout the poem.

Explanation:

The poem is written from the perspective of a traveler, who reflects on his experiences as he journeys through different places. The first stanza sets the scene with the traveler on a train, passing through various cities and landscapes. As the poem progresses, the traveler observes the different people and cultures he encounters, from a woman on a bridge in Spain to a beggar in Tangier.

The repetition of the end-words "train", "people", "Spain", "love", "tired", and "Tangier" creates a sense of cyclical movement, reflecting the traveler's journey and the recurring themes of travel, human connection, and weariness.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in the form of a sestina, with six stanzas of six lines each. The end-words of each stanza are repeated in a specific pattern throughout the poem.
• Imagery: The poem contains vivid imagery that transports the reader to different locations, such as "a crowded Madrid square" and "the mosque at Tangier".
• Repetition: The repetition of the end-words creates a sense of cyclical movement and reinforces the themes of travel and human connection.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is contemplative and reflective, as the traveler reflects on his experiences and observations.

Conclusion:

"Sestina: Travel Notes" is a complex and engaging poem that uses the sestina form to reflect the cyclical nature of travel and human connection. The vivid imagery and repetition of end-words create a sense of movement and reflection, while the contemplative tone invites the reader to share in the traveler's experiences.

Poem Snippet:

"A small boat on a blue lake

Toward mountains. The sky

Was yellow like gold. Spain,

A crowded Madrid square.

A beggar. I gave him love

And passed on, tired, to Tangier."