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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Pastoral" by Norman Dubie is a stark and vivid portrayal of a traumatic moment within a rural setting, offering a dramatic departure from the traditional connotations associated with the pastoral genre. Typically, pastoral poetry glorifies the simplicity and tranquility of rural life, but Dubie subverts this to explore themes of violence, death, and the abrupt shattering of peace. The poem begins with an idyllic scene: Fenya, a mother, is nursing her youngest child in the calm of her home. This peaceful moment is violently interrupted by the arrival of a horseman and the subsequent death of her father, who falls through the door. The suddenness of this event is emphasized by the rapid pace of the narrative and the stark imagery Dubie employs. As Fenya's father dies, a single drop of her milk falls into his open eye, a powerful image that blends elements of life and death, nurturing and loss. This moment encapsulates the poem's central thematic contrast: the intimate, life-giving act of a mother nursing her child juxtaposed against the violent death of her father. The milk in the eye serves as a lens through which the father sees his final visions, which are surreal and disturbing. Dubie describes the father's dying vision as one where snow falls into a "bland field" where a horse gives birth, dragging its placenta over the icy red snow—a haunting image that combines birth with violence, life with death. The redness of the snow, stained by the horse’s blood, contrasts with the unnatural whiteness of the blood, creating a dissonant, unsettling visual. The poem concludes with a reflection on the nature of terror, describing it as "The vigil of astonishment." This line suggests that in the face of such stark and brutal realities, terror lies not just in the events themselves but in the shock and awe they inspire, highlighting the profound emotional and psychological impact of witnessing such harsh realities. Overall, "Pastoral" challenges the reader's expectations of pastoral poetry, using its setting not to escape from the harsh truths of the world but to confront them directly. Dubie's use of intense imagery and juxtapositions deepens the impact of the narrative, leaving a lasting impression of the thin line between life's tranquility and its potential for sudden, violent disruption. POEM TEXT: https://simeonberry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Social-Media-Poems-2023.pdf
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DOUBLE ELEGY by MICHAEL S. HARPER A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY |
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