Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Stanley Merwin's poem "Shore" is a rich and enigmatic meditation on time, memory, and the inevitable approach of something mysterious and potentially ominous. The poem is filled with imagery that evokes a sense of anticipation, as the speaker and a companion—possibly representing collective humanity—wait by the shore for the arrival of a vessel. The scene is set in a landscape that is both real and symbolic, where the boundaries between the physical and the metaphysical blur.

The poem opens with a shared auditory experience: "We turned hearing the same note of the flute far inland unfaltering and unknown to each other." This suggests an instinctual, almost primordial connection between the two individuals, as they respond to a sound that calls them away from the familiar. The flute’s note, which is "far inland," contrasts with the typical imagery of the shore, indicating that the source of this call comes from deep within the land, perhaps symbolizing a connection to something ancient or deeply rooted in human consciousness.

The next lines describe the landscape they traverse: "we left two the hills one the valley before day entered the pearl." This passage through the hills and valley before dawn suggests a journey from darkness into light, from the unknown toward some form of revelation or understanding. The "pearl" could symbolize a new beginning or a precious, luminous truth that awaits discovery.

As they draw closer to the shore, the imagery becomes more vivid and foreboding. The speaker describes the scene as the light from the "horn light of an old skin" illuminates the approaching vessel. The "lifted prow" and the "scar on the wooden breast" evoke a ship that has endured much, carrying the weight of history or experience. This vessel, "gazing up and back at the night," suggests a connection to both the past and the present, bearing the marks of time yet still moving forward.

The mention of the "family the resemblance invisible to us" adds a layer of mystery, suggesting that the vessel—and perhaps the journey—bears a connection to the speaker’s lineage or to a collective human experience, though this connection is not immediately clear to those involved. The vessel’s approach is described as relentless: "bore in rapidly to the rocky plain," indicating an inevitable collision with the shore, which may symbolize the meeting point between life and death, the known and the unknown.

The imagery of "the eggs of venerable stones" and "the leaden shingle washed and washed under the shrieks of curlews" further intensifies the sense of timelessness and continuity. The stones, ancient and enduring, contrast with the ephemeral nature of the curlews' cries, symbolizing the persistence of the natural world amidst the transient events of human life.

As the poem progresses, the focus shifts to the arrival of the vessel, which seems to carry a deep, possibly foreboding significance. The mention of a "figure like the beam of a black lantern" standing in the vessel suggests a presence or force that is guiding it, one that is shrouded in mystery and darkness. This figure could represent death, fate, or an unknown destiny approaching the shore, moving toward the speaker and their companion.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the inevitable outcome of this approach: "though the hollow board is plainly nearer the light will set soon where it first rose and we get by heart the spot where the shingle will scrape in the night if the keel touches." This final image emphasizes the cyclical nature of time and the inescapable reality that whatever is coming will arrive, no matter how much time passes or how much we prepare. The "hollow board" suggests a vessel that is empty or haunted by absence, while the setting light symbolizes the end of a day, or perhaps the end of life. The anticipation of the shingle scraping against the keel signifies the moment of impact, the point at which the journey reaches its inevitable conclusion.

"Shore" is a meditation on the passage of time, the approach of destiny, and the interplay between memory, history, and the present moment. Through its evocative imagery and layered symbolism, the poem captures the tension between anticipation and inevitability, inviting readers to contemplate the mysteries that lie beyond the horizon of human experience. Merwin’s language evokes a sense of both awe and dread, as the poem navigates the fine line between the known world and the vast, unknown depths that lie beyond.

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