Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"At the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem" is a poem by Countee Cullen, first published in 1924. The poem describes the speaker's visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and reflects on the history and symbolism of this sacred site.

Explanation:

The poem opens with the speaker standing before the Western Wall, the last remaining remnant of the ancient Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The speaker describes the wall as a symbol of the Jewish people's long and painful history of exile, oppression, and struggle. The speaker reflects on the significance of the wall for both Jews and non-Jews, and imagines the prayers and tears that have been offered up at the site over the centuries. The poem ends with the speaker's recognition of the spiritual power and resilience of the Jewish people, and their ability to find hope and strength even in the midst of great adversity.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter. The lines are of varying length and follow a loose structure.
• Theme: The poem explores the themes of history, memory, and spirituality, as well as the power of symbols and the human capacity for resilience and hope.
• Imagery: The poem uses vivid and evocative imagery to convey the speaker's impressions of the Western Wall, including images of stone, dust, and tears.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is one of reverence and contemplation, as the speaker reflects on the historical and spiritual significance of the site.
• Sound: The poem makes use of repetition and alliteration to create a sense of rhythm and emphasis, as well as to underscore the themes of the poem.
• Language: The language of the poem is formal and elevated, with a focus on conveying the speaker's awe and respect for the site and its history.
• Figurative language: The poem uses metaphor and personification, such as the metaphor of the wall as a "mute witness" to the history of the Jewish people, to convey the emotional and spiritual significance of the site.
• Structure: The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of the speaker's reflections on the Western Wall.
• Symbolism: The poem uses the symbol of the Western Wall to explore broader themes of history, memory, and spirituality, as well as to underscore the resilience and hope of the Jewish people.
• Emotion: The poem conveys a sense of awe, reverence, and contemplation, as the speaker reflects on the spiritual and historical significance of the Western Wall.

Conclusion:

"At the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem" is a poem that explores the historical and spiritual significance of the Western Wall, as well as the broader themes of history, memory, and resilience. Through the use of vivid imagery, metaphor, and repetition, Countee Cullen conveys the emotional and spiritual impact of the site and its symbolism, and reflects on the enduring power of hope and faith in the face of adversity.

*NOTE: The Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, is a sacred site in Jerusalem, Israel. It is the last remaining remnant of the ancient Jewish temple complex that was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. The wall is considered the most holy place where Jews are permitted to pray and is also revered by Christians and Muslims. For centuries, Jews have come to the Wailing Wall to pray, mourn, and offer up their hopes and dreams. The wall is called the "Wailing Wall" because of the many tears and prayers that have been offered up at the site over the centuries.

POEM TEXT:

At the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

Here where the wall is grim with ecstasy

Of prayer and sacrifice, its stones adored

With tears and kisses since long before

Christ walked the earth and Moslems faced the east,

I stand before the everlasting shrine,

Mute witness of all time has known, and feel

A kinship with the prophets and the dead

Who hallowed thus the place.

The present pales

Before the long procession of the years

As prayer and tears and agonies have stained

These ancient stones with memory and faith.

Here still is the unuttered prayer,

The stifled sob, the hard-wrung tear,

Of history's most tortured race,

Displayed before the outer space.

But still there is a symbol of the race,

More significant than tears or prayers or stone,

The will to live, the courage to survive,

A drive to conquer that even life denied.

To here, to this last place of all their dreams,

The people of the book have come and gone,

And still to them remains the deathless hope

That lives with every prayer and every groan.

No night so dark but through the shattered pane

Some stars appear, and these same stars are bright

Above this place of woe and endless pain,

A symbol of the never-ending fight.

Thus in this place, beneath the changing sky,

The ages-old drama is played anew,

And here before the Wailing Wall I pray

That peace may come to me and peace to you

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