Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Near the Sacrificial Site" is a contemplative piece that reflects on the tension between the beauty of the natural world and the ever-present reality of human cruelty. Set against the backdrop of Paestum, an ancient site known for its Greek temples and historical significance, the poem juxtaposes the desire to embrace the serenity and beauty of the present with the inescapable knowledge of past and ongoing suffering.

The poem opens with the speaker expressing a deep yearning: "On an afternoon like this / I want permission to forget / the many varieties of cruelty." This wish to forget cruelty speaks to the overwhelming nature of human suffering and the desire to find respite, if only temporarily, from the weight of such knowledge. The speaker seeks permission, suggesting that this act of forgetting would be a transgression or something not easily granted, as if acknowledging that to forget is to momentarily turn away from the moral responsibility to remember.

The speaker's focus then shifts to the natural world around them: "I want the only figures of the past to be / ancestors of these wild / poppies, of this chestnut tree / whose blossoms break through / the hardest wood." This longing to see only the beauty of nature as the remnants of the past underscores a desire to find purity and renewal in the world, rather than being constantly reminded of its darker history. The wild poppies and the chestnut tree, with their ability to flourish and break through even the hardest wood, symbolize resilience and the enduring power of life. The speaker wishes to see these as the true inheritors of the past, rather than the legacies of violence and cruelty.

Yet, the poem acknowledges that cruelty is inescapable: "I know that cruelty / flourishes just down the road, persistent / as these gnarled roots which overrun / the partly ruined woods." The comparison of cruelty to "gnarled roots" suggests that it is deeply embedded in the fabric of the world, an unavoidable and pervasive presence that persists despite the beauty that surrounds it. The "partly ruined woods" evoke the sense of a world that has been marred by violence, where the remnants of destruction linger alongside natural growth.

The poem returns to the speaker's plea for relief: "But on an afternoon like this-- / Old Master clouds and waterfalls of light-- / I ask for the mercies of amnesia." The imagery of "Old Master clouds" and "waterfalls of light" evokes the grandeur and tranquility often found in classical paintings, suggesting a scene of idyllic beauty that the speaker yearns to fully immerse themselves in. The "mercies of amnesia" represent a longing for a temporary escape from the burden of remembering, a wish to be enveloped by the beauty of the moment without the intrusion of darker thoughts.

In the closing lines, the speaker expresses a desire to "open myself to the sun / which I know has killed / with its munificence," and to "smell the foxglove / with no thought of the poison / hidden in its leaf." These lines reveal the complexity of the speaker's wish. The sun, while a source of life and warmth, is also recognized as a force capable of destruction—its "munificence" can be deadly. Similarly, the foxglove, a plant known for its beautiful flowers, harbors poison in its leaves. The speaker acknowledges that even in the midst of beauty, danger and death are present, yet there is a wish to momentarily ignore these darker aspects and simply revel in the sensory pleasures of the natural world.

"Near the Sacrificial Site" is a meditation on the struggle to reconcile the coexistence of beauty and cruelty in the world. Pastan's poem captures the tension between the desire to embrace the present moment, with all its natural beauty, and the inescapable knowledge of the world's darker realities. Through rich imagery and a contemplative tone, the poem explores the complexities of memory, responsibility, and the human longing for peace in a world that is often marked by violence and suffering. The speaker's plea for "the mercies of amnesia" reflects a universal desire to find solace and escape, even if only temporarily, from the harsh truths that permeate our existence.

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