Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Great Blue Heron" by Carolyn Kizer is a poignant and reflective poem dedicated to the memory of the poet's mother, M.A.K., who lived from 1880 to 1955. The poem uses the image of a great blue heron as a central metaphor to explore themes of memory, loss, and the enduring presence of the past.

The poem opens with the poet wandering on a beach, where she encounters a heron. The bird is described as being "Sunk in the tattered wings / He wore as a hunchback’s coat," evoking an image of something worn and tired, yet majestic. The heron stands as "Shadow without a shadow," suggesting an ethereal quality, as if the bird itself is a ghost or a relic of a bygone time. The poet wonders, "Heron, whose ghost are you?" This question sets the tone for the poem, intertwining the physical presence of the bird with the spectral presence of memory and loss.

The narrative shifts to a memory from the poet's childhood. She recalls running to her mother to show her the heron, only to find that the bird had disappeared. However, her mother quickly spots the heron "drifting / Over the highest pines / On vast, unmoving wings." The juxtaposition of the heron's grounded, ragged appearance with its ability to soar majestically symbolizes the tension between the mundane and the transcendent, between earthly burdens and the freedom of the spirit.

The poem then moves to a more recent reflection, with the poet addressing the heron directly. The summer house, which once stood as a symbol of family and childhood, has burned down, leaving behind only memories. The heron, however, remains a constant presence, "Heavy upon my eye," representing the weight of memory and the lingering impact of the past. The poet asks the heron, "Why have you followed me here, / Heavy and far away?" This question underscores the persistence of memory and the way it continues to influence the present.

In the final stanza, the poet makes a profound connection between the heron and her mother. The heron, which has stood "patiently / For fifteen summers and snows," becomes a symbol of her mother's enduring presence. The imagery of the mother drifting away "like grey smoke, a vapor" and becoming "A handful of paper ashes" encapsulates the transformation of memory into something both ephemeral and permanent. The poem concludes with the heron waiting "upon the day" when the poet's mother would become part of the sky, suggesting a union of the physical and the spiritual, and the ongoing influence of the past on the present.

Overall, "The Great Blue Heron" is a deeply meditative poem that uses the image of a heron to explore complex emotions related to memory, loss, and the passage of time. Kizer's use of vivid imagery and reflective tone creates a powerful and moving tribute to her mother and the enduring presence of the past in her life.