Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem "Some Last Questions" by William Stanley Merwin is a poignant work that engages the reader in a query about the essence of human existence, life's impermanence, and the interplay between the corporeal and the ineffable. The poem is constructed as a dialogue, albeit one-sided, between an inquirer and a mysterious responder, labeled 'a'. This approach allows for an exploratory, philosophical tone as each part of the human body is questioned, inviting interpretations that are as corporeal as they are abstract.

Starting with "What is the head / a. Ash," Merwin directly confronts the mortality of human existence. The head, often considered the seat of intellect and identity, is reduced to 'Ash,' an elemental form signifying the inevitable decay that awaits all organic matter. The answer suggests an existentialist viewpoint where human pursuits and identities are but temporary in the grand scale of time.

When it comes to eyes, "The wells have fallen in and have / Inhabitants," Merwin obliquely refers to the depth and complexity of human perception. Eyes as 'wells' imply depth of emotion and experience, but these wells have 'fallen in,' indicating a collapse or loss, yet they still have 'inhabitants.' These could be memories, traumas, or various forms of life experiences that shape how one perceives the world.

In addressing feet, the initial response is darkly humorous: "Thumbs left after the auction." This line, conjuring an image of dismemberment and commodification, highlights the dehumanizing aspects of modern life. The second response, that feet are what's "Under them the impossible road is moving / Down which the broken necked mice push / Balls of blood with their noses," adds another layer of meaning, imbuing the feet with the relentless but often grim journey of life itself.

The 'tongue' is "The black coat that fell off the wall / With sleeves trying to say something," creating a vivid image of inarticulate struggle, an entity which has lost its attachment to the body ('wall') and tries to communicate without succeeding. It evokes an existential despair and an inability to convey meaning in a chaotic world.

The hands receive two responses like the feet. Initially, they are 'Paid,' suggesting hands as mere instruments in economic or transactional engagements. The second answer dives deeper into an evolutionary perspective: "Climbing back down the museum wall / To their ancestors the extinct shrews that will / Have left a message." This reflects the ancestral lineage and the evolutionary history that humans share with other life forms, suggesting a message of unity or continuum through time, despite impermanence.

Finally, the last two questions broaden the scope from human anatomy to more metaphysical dimensions: "What is the silence / a. As though it had a right to more," and "Who are the compatriots / a. They make the stars of bone." The first points to the silence's inherent depth and perhaps its claim to transcendence. The latter highlights the interconnectedness of all beings ('compatriots') who are made of the same elemental materials, emphasized through the poetic imagery of 'stars of bone.'

Merwin's "Some Last Questions" serves as a philosophical probe into the layers of human existence. It strips the human body of its mundane functionalities to explore broader, existential themes of mortality, meaning, and the universe's impenetrable silence. The poem asks more questions than it answers, leaving the reader pondering long after the last line, which is perhaps its most lasting message.

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