Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Merrill's "River Poem (2)" is a contemplative piece that delicately intertwines themes of memory, perception, and the passage of time. The poem paints a picture of a quiet, reflective moment by the riverbank, where the narrator and Charles, a companion, observe an old man and the rowers on the water. Through their observations, the poem explores the unspoken connections between people and the natural world, as well as the mysteries of individual experience and the meaning we attribute to our surroundings.

The poem begins with a vivid description of the old man, who has "lavender skin," a detail that immediately sets a tone of gentle, almost ethereal reflection. The image of his handkerchief "toppling from his breastpocket like an iris" suggests fragility and the delicate beauty of something in decline. The old man is watching the rowers, and in turn, the narrator and Charles are watching him. This layering of observation emphasizes the distance between the characters, both physical and emotional, and sets up the central theme of the poem: the unknowable nature of another person's inner world.

Charles's comment—"I wonder if they mean to him / As much as I can imagine they mean to him"—reveals his sensitivity and empathy. He is not just observing the scene; he is actively engaging with it, trying to understand the old man's feelings and experiences. However, this act of imagination is also a recognition of its limits. Charles's musings highlight the gap between what we can see and what we can truly know about another person's thoughts and emotions.

As the evening progresses and "became / A purple element," the poem's imagery deepens, reflecting the fading light and the growing sense of mystery. The use of "purple" here connects back to the old man's "lavender skin," creating a continuity of color that underscores the poem's meditative tone. The riverbank setting becomes a space where time seems to slow down, where the characters are suspended in a moment of reflection.

The narrator notes that even though the old man "moved away" when they left, he remained in their thoughts, "wandering / Like a river-flower, thinking of rivery things." This metaphor of the old man as a "river-flower" suggests that he is deeply connected to the river, his thoughts flowing and drifting like the water itself. The ambiguity of "rivery things" allows for a broad interpretation—it could refer to memories, emotions, or simply the act of contemplation itself.

The poem concludes with a poignant acknowledgment of the limits of understanding: "We would never / Know, this we knew, how much it had meant to him." This realization is bittersweet, as it acknowledges both the desire to connect with others and the inevitable barriers to fully understanding someone else's inner life. The final lines, where Charles reflects on how much the old man "meant to the river," suggest a reversal of perspective. While the characters cannot fully grasp what the river or the rowers mean to the old man, they can recognize the old man's significance within the broader context of the river's ongoing story.

The poem ends with a subtle but powerful observation: "the river did not vanish, or not then at least." This line reinforces the idea of continuity and permanence amidst the fleeting nature of individual experiences. The river, a symbol of time and life, remains constant even as people come and go, their thoughts and emotions rippling through the current like fleeting reflections on the water's surface.

In "River Poem (2)," Merrill explores the quiet, often overlooked moments that connect us to each other and to the world around us. The poem is a meditation on the impermanence of human experience and the enduring presence of the natural world. Through its delicate imagery and introspective tone, the poem invites readers to consider the ways in which we observe and interpret the lives of others, and how these moments of connection, however brief or incomplete, contribute to the larger flow of life.

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