Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Stanley Kunitz's "Daughters of the Horseleech Crying 'Give! Give!'" is a haunting and allegorical poem that delves into themes of exploitation, power, and sacrifice. The poem's vivid imagery and biblical allusions create a layered narrative that critiques the mechanisms of power and the demands placed on the younger generation by an insatiable older one.

The opening line, "The daughters of the horseleech crying 'Give! Give!'" immediately evokes a sense of relentless demand and greed. The horseleech, a creature known for its parasitic nature, symbolizes those who incessantly drain resources from others. The "daughters" crying for more emphasize the generational perpetuation of this greed and the insatiable hunger for sacrifice.

These daughters "implore the young men for the blood of martyrs," suggesting a society that thrives on the sacrifices of its younger members. The blood of martyrs here symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice—life itself—implying that the youth are being exploited for the benefit of the older generation or ruling class.

The poem then questions the sustainability of this system: "How shall we keep the old senator alive / Unless we satisfy his thirst for cultures?" The "old senator" represents the entrenched power structures that depend on the continuous influx of fresh resources and sacrifices. The thirst for "cultures" can be interpreted as a desire for new ideas, vitality, and perhaps the literal consumption of different societies to maintain power.

Kunitz introduces a range of animals—"the rat, the weasel, and the fox"—which are known for their cunning and survival instincts. They are called upon to "forage for their toothless master," symbolizing the various means through which those in power sustain themselves by exploiting the natural cunning and resourcefulness of others.

The plea "Have mercy, boys, on the monkey in his box" introduces a note of pity for another exploited creature. The monkey, traditionally a symbol of mimicry and entertainment, is trapped and forced to perform. This imagery highlights the cruelty of a system that exploits all levels of life for the pleasure and sustenance of the powerful.

The mention of the "Dear Judas goat" leading "out the sheep to slaughter" brings a stark biblical reference to betrayal and sacrifice. The Judas goat, used to lead sheep to slaughter while saving itself, symbolizes betrayal from within the community, where leaders or insiders betray their own for survival.

The final lines of the poem tie the fates of the daughters to the warlock with "gilded claws": "For if the warlock with the gilded claws / Withers away, and of his bones are waters, / Who will transmute our foreheads into brass, / And who will keep his five charming daughters?" The warlock, a figure of dark magic and manipulation, represents the manipulative power that sustains the system. His "gilded claws" suggest a façade of opulence and control. If he perishes and his power dissolves ("bones are waters"), the societal structures he upheld—represented by the brass foreheads, symbolizing hard-headedness or unyielding nature—will collapse, leaving his daughters unprotected and vulnerable.

"Daughters of the Horseleech Crying 'Give! Give!'" is a powerful critique of societal and generational exploitation. Kunitz uses rich and evocative imagery to paint a picture of a world where the young are sacrificed for the sustenance of the old, where cunning and betrayal are tools of survival, and where power is maintained through relentless and insatiable greed. The poem invites readers to reflect on the ethical and moral implications of such a system and the inherent costs of maintaining power through exploitation and sacrifice.

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