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MCKANE'S FALLS, by             Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

James Merrill’s poem “McKane’s Falls” is a contemplative and vivid meditation on the passage of time, the search for meaning, and the transformative power of nature. The waterfall, as the central metaphor, symbolizes both the continuity of life and the inevitability of decay, yet also offers moments of illumination and redemption. Through a mix of philosophical rumination and rich, textured imagery, Merrill presents a multifaceted exploration of the human experience, caught between the search for value and the acceptance of loss.

The poem begins with a grand and imposing landscape: “The great cold shoulders bared, / The last great masts grown rich with moss.” These lines evoke an ancient, weathered world, where nature has slowly accumulated its riches and formed a "shadily / Conservative nature." Merrill uses this setting to describe a scene akin to an old salon, full of airs and tediums, reminiscent of Balzac's worlds of slow formation and decline. This stagnant, aging setting is disrupted, however, by the appearance of a more dynamic figure: “somebody quite dashing for a change,” full of vigor and life, who “goes on / About the banks he has broken and the weights he has lifted.” The introduction of this character, who represents youth and physical strength, contrasts with the moss-covered landscape, embodying the tension between vitality and the inevitable decline of time.

The poem's first section transitions from this landscape into the gritty reality of two prospectors—“A Yankee ornery enough to seek / Unfluctuating values, and a meek / Rebel, an embittered dreamer.” These figures seem plucked from another time, engaging in the eternal quest for gold, both literal and metaphorical. Their discovery of a “twelve-ounce rainbow sizzled in their pan” suggests a fleeting success, a moment of triumph in a world otherwise dominated by struggle. Yet, this brief moment of glory is tinged with the ominous awareness of the future: “Next morning, the first nugget.” This juxtaposition of discovery and impending loss sets the tone for the rest of the poem, where moments of beauty and truth are continually undermined by the forces of decay and time.

In the second section, the speaker reflects on the inevitability of decline: “Since being gelded of my gold, / Gray moods, black moods come over me.” The loss of the speaker’s "gold"—whether interpreted as literal wealth or metaphorical vitality—has left him in a state of confusion and coldness. He wonders if he is “riding for another fall,” and questions whether he will end up “at the power station / On charges, a degenerate?” This descent into darkness is accompanied by a growing disillusionment with society and the self. The speaker’s desperate plea for help—“Help me. No! Don’t touch me! Let me be!”—captures the existential crisis at the heart of the poem, as he struggles with the dual impulses of seeking connection and retreating into isolation.

The third section of the poem shifts into a more reflective and symbolic mode, with the waterfall itself addressing the speaker: “Come live within me, said the waterfall.” The waterfall becomes a voice of both temptation and wisdom, offering the speaker a place to retreat from the world, a “chamber of black stone / High and dry behind my stunning life.” This invitation to retreat into the heart of the waterfall symbolizes the desire to escape from the difficulties of life and find solace in nature’s power and constancy. Yet the waterfall’s voice is not naïve; it recognizes the fleeting nature of truth: “Moments of truth are moments only,” and acknowledges the erosion of the self over time: “The golden voice turns gravelly and hoarse.” Despite this, the waterfall offers a kind of redemption, suggesting that all things, even decay, can become "musical" with time.

The final lines of the poem bring together the themes of loss, acceptance, and transcendence. The waterfall tells the speaker to "Get me by heart, my friend, / And then forget." This paradoxical instruction suggests that while the speaker may find temporary solace in the waterfall’s embrace, he must ultimately move beyond it, accepting the impermanence of both nature and self. The waterfall, which represents both the force of life and the inevitability of death, concludes with an invitation: “Come live within me, said the waterfall.” This final line suggests that despite the decay and loss, there is still a place within nature where one can find meaning and perhaps even peace, if only for a time.

Merrill’s "McKane’s Falls" is a richly textured exploration of time, memory, and the search for meaning in a world that is constantly shifting between creation and destruction. The waterfall, with its power to both erode and sustain, serves as a potent symbol for the human condition, offering moments of clarity and beauty even as it reminds us of the inevitable passage of time. Through its vivid imagery and philosophical depth, the poem invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of loss and renewal, and the ways in which we seek to reconcile ourselves with the forces that shape our lives.


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