Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Carolyn Kizer's "On a Line from Valéry (The Gulf War)" is a powerful and somber reflection on the environmental and human devastation wrought by war, particularly focusing on the Gulf War. The poem draws on a line from the French poet Paul Valéry, "Tout le ciel vert se meurt / Le dernier arbre brûle" ("The whole green sky is dying. The last tree flares"), to create a vivid and poignant meditation on the consequences of human conflict.

The opening lines, "The whole green sky is dying. The last tree flares / With a great burst of supernatural rose / Under a canopy of poisonous airs," set a dramatic and apocalyptic tone. The image of the green sky dying and the last tree burning in a burst of rose under poisonous airs captures the destruction of nature in a war-torn landscape. This stark imagery serves as a powerful metaphor for the broader environmental and human costs of war.

Kizer contemplates the possibility of turning to prayers to prevent such destruction: "Could we imagine our return to prayers / To end in time before time's final throes, / The green sky dying as the last tree flares?" This rhetorical question highlights the lost opportunity for peace and the failure to prevent the catastrophic consequences of war. The juxtaposition of the potential for prayer and the reality of devastation underscores the themes of lost hope and missed opportunities.

The poem reflects on the decision-making of those in power: "But we were young in judgement, old in years / Who could make peace; but it was war we chose, / To spread its canopy of poisoning airs." These lines criticize the leaders who, despite their age and experience, chose war over peace. The "canopy of poisoning airs" serves as a metaphor for the pervasive and far-reaching effects of their decisions, affecting both the environment and human lives.

Kizer addresses the pleas of children and the fears of women, emphasizing the human cost of war: "Not all our children's pleas and women's fears / Could steer us from this hell. And now God knows / His whole green sky is dying as it flares." The mention of children's and women's voices, often marginalized in the discourse of war, highlights the widespread suffering and the moral failure to heed these cries for peace.

The poem moves towards a reflection on the broader historical context: "Our crops of wheat have turned to fields of tares. / This dreadful century staggers to its close / And the sky dies for us, its poisoned heirs." The transformation of wheat (symbolizing sustenance and life) into tares (weeds representing ruin) illustrates the reversal of progress and the degradation of what should sustain humanity. The poem situates the Gulf War within the context of a century marked by violence and destruction, underscoring the legacy of environmental and moral decay.

Kizer's final lines, "All rain was dust. Its granules were our tears. / Throats burst as universal winter rose / To kill the whole green sky, the last tree bare / Beneath its canopy of poisoned air," offer a haunting conclusion. The transformation of rain into dust, symbolizing the drying up of life and hope, and the imagery of throats bursting and a universal winter, capture the ultimate desolation and despair brought about by war. The "canopy of poisoned air" serves as a recurring motif, emphasizing the pervasive and enduring impact of environmental destruction.

"On a Line from Valéry (The Gulf War)" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking poem that critiques the human and environmental costs of war. Carolyn Kizer's use of vivid imagery and powerful metaphors effectively conveys the sense of irreversible loss and the moral responsibility of those who choose conflict over peace. Through her reflection on the Gulf War, Kizer invites readers to contemplate the broader implications of war and the urgent need for a commitment to peace and environmental stewardship.

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