Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Donald Hall's "Apples" unfolds a surreal and richly imaginative landscape where the mundane fruit becomes a portal to a world of vibrant imagery and unexpected connections. The poem's layers of meaning, drawn through vivid metaphors and whimsical scenes, invite readers into a dreamlike experience that celebrates both the simplicity and complexity of the apple.

The poem opens with a sense of disappearance and mystery: "They have gone / into the green hill, by doors without hinges, / or lifting city manhole covers to tunnels lined with grass." This imagery suggests a transition from the ordinary world to a hidden, fantastical realm. The doors "without hinges" and the grassy tunnels evoke a sense of secret entrances to an enchanted place. The mention of their skin being "soft as grapes" and their faces "like apples" further blurs the line between the human and the botanical, setting the tone for the poem’s surreal nature.

A peacock feather with its "round eye" introduces the theme of perception and beauty. The feather "sees dancers underground," hinting at the hidden activities beneath the surface, accessible only through a shift in perception. The peacock’s eye becomes a symbol of seeing beyond the ordinary, an invitation to explore deeper layers of meaning.

Hall's use of specific and unusual images continues with the line, "The curved spot on this apple is a fat camel, is a is the cry of ay aligold." The apple's spot morphs into various forms, demonstrating the fluidity of interpretation and the richness of imagination. The poem encourages readers to look closely and find connections where none seemed to exist before.

The speaker’s immersion in this world is marked by a transformative journey: "I am caught in the web of a gray apple, I struggle inside / an immense apple of blowing sand." This passage suggests an internal struggle within the confines of the apple, which has expanded to an almost cosmic scale. The imagery of "blowing sand" evokes a desert-like environment, emphasizing the vastness and complexity of the apple's world.

The imagery then shifts to blossoming: "I blossom / quietly from a window-box of apples." This line suggests a gentle emergence and growth, tying the theme of apples to ideas of renewal and life. The poem juxtaposes the idea of confinement within the apple with the potential for growth and transformation, highlighting the dual nature of the apple as both a container and a source of life.

Hall introduces a scene of conviviality and celebration with "seven beautiful ladies with buns and happy faces / in yellow dresses with green sashes / to bring him / whiskey." The cheerful and domestic imagery contrasts with the earlier surreal and mysterious tones, adding a layer of warmth and humanity. The ladder’s rungs that "tell stories to his friend" further personify the objects, blending the animate and inanimate in a world where everything is interconnected.

The voices of the characters "like apples brighten in the wind," suggesting that their speech and interactions are infused with the same vibrant essence as the apples. This imagery reinforces the idea that apples, and by extension the natural world, are integral to human experience and perception.

The poem culminates in a scene of celebration: "Now they are dancing / with fiddles and ladies and trumpets / in the round / hill of the peacock, in the resounding hill." This final image ties back to the earlier mention of the peacock and its eye, creating a circular, self-contained world where joy and music reign. The "resounding hill" suggests an echo of life and celebration, a place where sound and movement are amplified and eternal.

In "Apples," Donald Hall masterfully combines the ordinary with the extraordinary, transforming a simple fruit into a gateway to a world of wonder and imagination. Through rich metaphors and vivid imagery, Hall invites readers to explore the hidden depths and connections in everyday objects, celebrating the beauty and mystery that lies just beneath the surface. The poem stands as a testament to the power of perception and the endless possibilities of interpretation, urging us to see the world with fresh, imaginative eyes.

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