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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

FIRST THINGS AT THE LAST MINUTE, by         Recitation by Author     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

"First Things at the Last Minute" by Robert Hass is a contemplative and lyrical exploration of memory, guilt, and the often uncontrollable nature of dreams and emotions. The poem navigates through various images and concepts, juxtaposing the mundane with the profound, and the tangible with the elusive.

The poem opens with the "white water rush of some warbler's song," a vivid and immediate sensory experience. This initial image of nature's vitality and urgency sets the tone for a poem that moves fluidly through time and memory. The warbler's song is both a call to the present moment and a metaphor for the rush of memories and emotions that follow.

Hass then shifts to a more intimate and reflective scene: "Last night, a few strewings of ransacked moonlight / On the sheets." This image of moonlight scattered across the sheets suggests a moment of quiet contemplation, a pause in the night where thoughts and memories intrude. The phrase "ransacked moonlight" evokes a sense of disorder and intrusion, as if even the moonlight cannot escape the turmoil of the mind.

The poem moves to a memory or a moment of confusion: "You don't know what slumped forward / In the nineteen-forties taxi or why they blamed you." This fragment hints at an unresolved guilt or a misunderstanding from the past, something that remains unclear and unarticulated. The reference to the "nineteen-forties taxi" adds a layer of historical context, suggesting that the memory is both distant and impactful.

Hass continues with a reflection on altered landscapes and the reasons behind actions: "Or what the altered landscape, willowy, riparian, / Had to do with the reasons why everyone / Should be giving things away, quickly." The landscape here is described in lush, almost dreamlike terms, yet it is tied to a sense of urgency and a moral imperative to give away, to release burdens. This urgency contrasts with the persistent sorrow that "can't bear / The need to be forgiven and keeps looking for something / To forgive." This line speaks to the human tendency to cling to guilt and the complex nature of forgiveness.

The poem then transitions to the mundane and mechanical: "The motion of washing machines / Is called agitation." This reference to washing machines serves as a metaphor for emotional turmoil. "Object constancy" is introduced as a psychological term, indicating the stability and reliability a child requires. Hass ties this concept to the comfort found in clean sheets, an element of control in a chaotic world.

The patterns made by moonlight, however, are "chancier," and dreams are depicted as having their own uncontrollable influence: "dreams, well, dreams / Will have their way with you, their way / With you, will have their way." This repetition emphasizes the inevitability and power of dreams, underscoring their role in shaping our subconscious and emotional lives.

In "First Things at the Last Minute," Robert Hass skillfully blends concrete imagery with abstract reflection. The poem navigates through layers of memory, guilt, and the struggle for control in a world where many things, especially dreams and emotions, are beyond our grasp. Through its intricate interplay of images and themes, the poem invites readers to consider the complexities of human consciousness and the persistent search for understanding and peace.


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