Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Mark Jarman's poem "Spell for Encanto Creek" is a succinct and evocative piece that captures the essence of a natural setting and the human connection to it. Through a series of imperatives, Jarman invokes the natural elements and their continuity, emphasizing the cyclical and enduring nature of the creek and its surroundings.

The poem opens with an invocation: "Tall blades of tufted grasses, keep on flowing." This personification of grasses as flowing entities aligns them with the movement of water, suggesting a seamless integration of land and stream. The use of "keep on flowing" sets a tone of persistence and constancy, highlighting the natural cycle that endures through time.

Jarman then introduces the towhees, small birds known for their distinctive behavior of foraging on the ground by hopping backward to uncover food: "Towhees like good ideas, keep on flowing." By comparing towhees to good ideas, he imbues the scene with a sense of intellectual and creative continuity, suggesting that nature itself can inspire and sustain thoughtful reflection.

The imagery of the creek is further developed with: "Pooled water, black in shadow, green in sunshine, / With wild olives bending down to drink." These lines capture the duality of the creek’s appearance—its darkness in shadow and its vibrant green in sunlight—illustrating the dynamic and multifaceted nature of the water. The wild olives, personified as bending down to drink, reinforce the interconnectedness of the ecosystem.

The poem shifts to a human element with: "Those figures coming daily to the bridge / To look at their two shadows on your surface." This imagery introduces the concept of human interaction with the creek, emphasizing a ritualistic or meditative practice of observing one’s reflection. The act of looking at shadows on the water’s surface becomes a metaphor for self-reflection and the fleeting nature of human presence compared to the enduring landscape.

The concluding lines, "Keep them returning, keep them coming back," serve as a benediction, wishing for the perpetual return of both the natural elements and the human visitors. This repeated call for continuity underscores the poem’s central theme of persistence and the enduring relationship between humans and the natural world.

In "Spell for Encanto Creek," Mark Jarman masterfully weaves together the natural and human elements of the creek’s environment, using rich imagery and a rhythmic, incantatory structure to evoke a sense of timelessness and continuity. The poem invites readers to consider the delicate balance and interconnectedness of nature and humanity, celebrating the enduring beauty and inspiration found in the natural world.

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