Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Merrill’s poem "Angel" is a delicate and introspective meditation on the intersection of art, divinity, and human endeavor. The poem presents a scene of quiet contemplation, where the speaker encounters an angelic figure, both ethereal and yet grounded in the mundane realities of human existence. Through this interaction, Merrill explores themes of artistic creation, spiritual insight, and the limitations of human expression.

The poem begins with a vivid description of the angel: "Though not much larger than a hummingbird / In finely woven robes, school of Van Eyck." This introduction immediately situates the angel within a rich visual tradition, likening him to the intricate and detailed figures found in the works of the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck. The comparison to a hummingbird highlights the angel’s small, delicate nature, suggesting a presence that is both fleeting and intense. The angel’s small size contrasts with his significant impact on the speaker, underscoring the idea that even the smallest encounter with the divine or the sublime can be deeply transformative.

The angel’s gesture, pointing "one index finger out the window," draws the speaker’s attention to the world outside, described as winter "snatching to its heart" the misty exhalations of houses and people. This image of winter’s cold grip on the world conveys a sense of isolation and stark beauty, a scene of nature’s power and the fragility of human life. The mention of the "cold sun pounding on the sea" reinforces this dichotomy of warmth and coldness, light and desolation, as if the natural world is at once inviting and indifferent.

With his other hand, the angel points to the piano, where Satie’s "Sarabande No. I" lies open. The choice of Satie, known for his minimalist and haunting compositions, suggests that the music embodies a kind of purity and simplicity that contrasts with the complexity of the outside world. The speaker admits that the passage he is attempting to master has already "effortlessly, mastered me." This acknowledgment of the music’s power over the speaker highlights the idea that true art, like divine creation, possesses an inherent mastery that transcends human effort.

The angel’s silent communication, where he drops his jaw "as if to say, or sing," emphasizes the ineffable nature of the experience. He presents a question that challenges the speaker’s purpose: "How can you sit there with your notebook? / What do you think you are doing?" This rhetorical question underscores the tension between the divine, the artistic, and the mundane act of writing. The angel seems to suggest that in the face of God’s world and Satie’s music, both of which are complete and radiant, the act of writing is futile or inadequate.

However, the angel remains silent, wisely refraining from voicing these thoughts. This silence allows the speaker to reflect on the flaws in both God’s creation and Satie’s music, as well as to question the angel’s own taste in music. The speaker’s decision to "turn back to my page" despite the angel’s disapproval can be seen as an assertion of human agency and the persistence of creative effort, even in the face of divine or artistic perfection.

The poem concludes with the angel shaking his head, disappointed by the speaker’s insistence on writing. The lack of a smile on the angel’s "round, hairless face" conveys a sense of solemnity, as if the angel understands the futility of the speaker’s endeavor but also respects the necessity of it. The angel’s silent disapproval suggests that while the pursuit of art and expression is inherently flawed, it is also an intrinsic part of the human condition—something that even an angel must accept.

In "Angel," Merrill explores the relationship between the divine, the artistic, and the human. The angel serves as a mediator between these realms, pointing out the beauty and perfection in both the world and in art, while also questioning the value of human efforts to capture and replicate these experiences. The poem reflects on the limitations of human expression, the tension between creation and observation, and the enduring impulse to create, even when faced with the sublime. Through this quiet, reflective encounter, Merrill captures the profound and often contradictory nature of the artistic experience.

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