Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Fall Again" by Howard Nemerov is a dense and evocative poem that weaves together imagery of an old man, darkness, rain, and biblical allusions to explore themes of decay, renewal, and the cyclical nature of time and human experience. The poem employs rich, metaphorical language to convey a sense of the passage of time and the inevitability of change and loss.

The poem opens with the figure of the Old Man moving through a sleeping town, described as coming "oil dark to a certain lip." This image sets a somber and almost mythical tone, as the Old Man's presence is felt in the stillness of the night. The "certain lip" likely refers to the edge of a precipice or a critical moment of change. The Old Man's speech is described as breaking "By the white rain's beard," suggesting an elemental and natural force that accompanies his words.

The "drunken Babel" that spills upon a stone evokes the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, where human ambition led to confusion and fragmentation of language. Here, the drunkenness and the chaotic spill of words symbolize a loss of coherence and control. The light shattering against the stone and pouring fall suggests a moment of intense clarity followed by dispersion and dissolution, capturing the fleeting nature of such moments.

The poem's middle section describes the physicality of the Old Man's fall: "Asleep its dreaming strength along the kill / On those great sinews' curves twisted and tensed." This line portrays the Old Man as embodying both strength and vulnerability, his sinews reflecting the tension and eventual release as he falls. The use of "kill," which can mean a stream or channel, suggests a flow of energy or life force that moves through and beyond the physical form.

The transition between "the vineyard and the drunken dark" introduces a contrast between cultivation and wildness, order and chaos. The mention of a rainbow that "shines no more" signifies the end of a promise or a vision of hope, drawing on the biblical symbol of the rainbow as God's covenant with Noah. The breaking of promises "in the roar / Of that Old Man" underscores a sense of disillusionment and the failure of grand ideals.

The poem culminates in a powerful image of the Old Man as "the staggered Patriarch / And white beard falling naked to the floor / Ashamed." This depiction humanizes the Old Man, stripping away his grandeur and leaving him exposed and vulnerable. The final line, "who was himself both Flood and Ark," encapsulates the duality of his nature. As both the bringer of destruction (Flood) and the vessel of salvation (Ark), the Old Man embodies the cyclical nature of creation and destruction, renewal and decay.

"Fall Again" by Howard Nemerov is a richly layered poem that uses vivid imagery and allusions to explore profound themes. The Old Man represents the passage of time and the inevitable cycles of human experience, where moments of clarity and strength are followed by confusion and vulnerability. Through its intricate language and symbolic depth, the poem invites readers to reflect on the transient nature of life and the enduring patterns that shape our existence.

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