Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Stanley Merwin's poem "Saint of the Uplands" presents a poignant reflection on the role of a spiritual figure or guide, who despite their efforts, is haunted by the sense of futility and the limitations of their influence. The poem explores themes of devotion, ignorance, and the paradoxical nature of teaching and learning, all set against the backdrop of a harsh, barren landscape that mirrors the spiritual desolation of its inhabitants.

The poem opens with the speaker, presumably the "saint," describing the persistent prayers of the people as swarming "like lost bees." This simile suggests both the desperation and the directionless nature of the people's pleas. The speaker acknowledges their own lack of sweetness, indicating that they cannot provide the comfort or answers that the people seek. The phrase "I am dust / Twice over" underscores the speaker's sense of inadequacy and impermanence, as if they have already been reduced to nothingness twice—first through life, and then through the spiritual burden they carry.

The setting of the poem, "the high barrens," is described as a place where "The light loved us," suggesting that despite the harshness of the environment, there was a time when the presence of light, perhaps symbolic of divine favor or hope, offered some form of sustenance or warmth. However, this is contrasted with the description of the people's "hard crusts" and "empty" eyes, which indicate a life of struggle and deprivation, both physically and spiritually. The people’s vision, the poem suggests, is something that might only come "as water"—a scarce and vital resource in such a barren place, symbolizing the elusive nature of insight or understanding.

The speaker reflects on their relationship with these people, noting that they were "born to stones," a phrase that emphasizes the harshness of their lives and the unyielding nature of their environment. The speaker claims to have given them "Nothing but what was theirs," suggesting that their role was not to introduce something new or foreign, but to help the people recognize and gather what already existed within their own lives. The image of gathering "the dew of their nights / Into mirrors" evokes a sense of collecting small, fleeting moments of clarity or understanding, which are then reflected back to the people as something meaningful.

The speaker's teachings are described as hanging the people "Between heavens," positioning them in a liminal space where they are suspended between their earthly struggles and the promise of something greater. However, the speaker also acknowledges the limits of their knowledge, taking "a single twig from the tree of my ignorance" to divine the living streams beneath the people’s houses. This act of divination suggests that the speaker’s guidance is based on their own limited understanding, yet it reveals something vital—the presence of life-giving water beneath the surface, symbolizing hidden potential or truth within the people's lives.

The repetition of the phrase "You have ignorance of your own, I said. / They have ignorance of their own" highlights the universal nature of human limitation and the recognition that everyone, including the speaker, is bound by their own lack of knowledge. This acknowledgment further underscores the poem's theme of humility and the recognition of the limits of one's influence or ability to impart wisdom.

As the poem nears its conclusion, the speaker observes that the people waste "their few tears" over their feet, a poignant image that suggests their sorrow is misplaced or that their devotion, though genuine, may not lead to the fulfillment they seek. The speaker reflects on their role, admitting, "I taught them nothing," a stark acknowledgment of the futility or inadequacy of their teachings in the face of the people's persistent suffering.

The poem ends with a powerful image: "Everywhere / The eyes are returning under the stones. And over / My dry bones they build their churches, like wells." This closing suggests that despite the speaker's sense of failure or inadequacy, the people continue to seek meaning and build their faith upon the remnants of the speaker's life and teachings. The churches, compared to wells, represent places where the people hope to draw spiritual sustenance, even if that sustenance is built upon what the speaker perceives as dry bones—lifeless and spent.

"Saint of the Uplands" is a deeply introspective and somber reflection on the complexities of spiritual leadership and the limitations of human understanding. Through the voice of the speaker, Merwin explores the tension between the desire to guide and the recognition of one's own limitations, ultimately suggesting that true wisdom may lie in the humble acknowledgment of what we do not know and the recognition that each person must confront their own ignorance. The poem's imagery of barrenness, stones, and wells serves as a powerful metaphor for the struggle to find meaning and sustenance in a harsh and unforgiving world.

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