Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Susan Wheeler’s "Charity Must Abide Call for Ancient Occupation" intricately weaves themes of labor, faith, and the burden of expectation through a tapestry of surreal imagery and fragmented narrative. The poem juxtaposes moments of human action with an almost mythic consideration of charity, creating a layered meditation on purpose, community, and the tension between aspiration and reality.

The opening lines evoke a pastoral yet uneasy setting: "Red barn, still house, shimmering heat. / Brown barn, air in rain, green smell." This depiction of rural quietude serves as a prelude to the more dissonant undertones of the poem, where the natural world’s simplicity is disrupted by human constructs—both literal, like fences, and metaphorical, like societal hierarchies. The speaker climbs a hill "to volunteer my hands," initiating an act of service or labor that implicitly connects to the poem’s deeper inquiry into charity as a moral and existential endeavor: "O works that we may walk in."

Wheeler’s language deftly shifts between the tactile and the abstract, highlighting the often conflicting realities of charitable action. The "rodent's toe in the pinecone cell" and "brackish bag with its damp wax gel" ground the poem in gritty, physical detail, while the phrase "O works that we may walk in" elevates the labor to a near-biblical plane. This tension mirrors the broader complexities of charity—at once immediate and philosophical, tangible and ineffable.

The middle stanzas introduce a sharp critique of bureaucracy and political dysfunction, with references to "supporting the basic initiative" and being "terminally wounded in Congress." These lines reflect the futility of institutional efforts to address human suffering, as well as the exhaustion of those involved: "waiting for sunset so he could sound alarms about its ability." The mention of temporary fences and "blistering heat" evokes a sense of transience and discomfort, suggesting that the systems designed to provide relief often exacerbate existing struggles.

The figure of Solomon introduces a mythic and moral dimension to the poem. His invocation—“She, initiate in the knowledge of Him, / co-creator in His works”—ties charity to wisdom and divine purpose, yet this idealized vision contrasts starkly with the gritty realities described elsewhere. The speaker’s "determination to take her to live with me" could symbolize a personal commitment to embodying charity or a critique of how lofty ideals can falter when faced with practical application.

As the poem progresses, the imagery becomes darker and more chaotic, reflecting the unraveling of both systems and individual resolve. The "yelling," "sharp horn," and "crumpling steel" introduce violence and urgency, while "songbirds swooped in like carrion" suggests a predatory dimension to charitable efforts—perhaps a critique of opportunism or performative altruism. Even as the birds "sound the alarm," their flight appears hollow: "Wrung charity. / But the wing flapping went on in the heat." This repetition underscores the inefficacy of well-meaning efforts that fail to address root causes.

The final stanzas return to a stillness laden with expectation and ambiguity. The "hour before sunrise" symbolizes a liminal space where action has ceased but resolution remains elusive. The rhetorical questions—“Should there be, I thought, a mandible for each? / A Dolly for each Sofia?”—highlight the impossibility of universal solutions, contrasting faith's aspirations with the stubborn realities of inequity. The "Staff, and thermos, crazed" suggest both preparedness and futility, echoing the relentless "deafening heat" that pervades the poem.

Wheeler’s "Charity Must Abide Call for Ancient Occupation" is a dense and layered exploration of the burdens and contradictions inherent in acts of charity. Through its fragmented structure and richly textured imagery, the poem interrogates the interplay between faith, labor, and the often unattainable ideals of altruism. It challenges readers to confront their own complicity in systems that promise aid but deliver little, urging us to reckon with the gap between intention and outcome in the pursuit of justice and compassion.

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