Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Nemerov’s poem "Lives of Gulls and Children" intricately intertwines the themes of life and death, nature and innocence, through the juxtaposed experiences of gulls and children. The poem captures a moment of discovery and confrontation with mortality, as the children stumble upon a desolate scene by the sea. Through vivid imagery and contemplative reflection, Nemerov explores the raw reality of death and the innocent curiosity of youth.

The poem begins with the children venturing to a place “Where they had not been before,” immediately setting a tone of exploration and the unknown. Accompanied by gulls and terns, whose presence and “loud shrieking” add to the eerie atmosphere, the children arrive at “the place of death.” The initial description of the scene—footprints on the sand and a few bones—suggests the first signs of decay and the remnants of life.

As the children proceed, they encounter more profound symbols of death: “a flat thicket of bone / And tangled cartilage, dry white and clean.” These stark, clean remnants are unsettlingly tangible, and the children’s instinctual, albeit morbid, curiosity is evident as they taste the salt on the bones. This action signifies a raw, sensory engagement with their discovery, a visceral connection to the reality of death.

The progression of the imagery becomes more graphic: “feathers, then flesh / Strung on the bone ragged and rotting,” culminating in a depiction of ongoing decomposition. Nemerov’s detailed descriptions—“red tendons curled” and “flies buzzed on the torn meat”—create a vivid, almost grotesque tableau. The presence of “a sick and wrong / Smell mingled with the heat of the salt wind” heightens the sensory immersion, making the scene palpable to the reader.

Amidst this decay, the poem’s central image emerges: a “great gull dying.” The gull’s struggle and “effortful motion” evoke a sense of pathos. The description of the gull’s eye, “like a sun part baffled in cloud,” poignantly captures the bird’s confrontation with death, both majestic and resigned. The children’s impulse to comfort the dying gull reflects their nascent empathy and understanding of life’s fragility. However, the gull’s defensive reaction—striking out with its “hooked beak and a claw”—underscores the instinctual resistance to death and the inevitable isolation that accompanies it.

The children’s brief vigil ends as the gull’s struggle continues beyond their attention span: “he, making his death, would out-endure / What interest they had.” This moment underscores the difference between human mortality, cushioned by societal structures, and the raw, unmediated experience of the natural world. The children’s awareness of the gull’s impending death juxtaposed with their own secure futures—“homes to go to, and a bed this side of death”—highlights the stark reality of mortality faced by the gull.

As the children turn away, their declaration—“No one has ever been here before”—echoes through the shore, reflecting a mixture of awe and solemnity. This statement, repeated and mournful, captures their sense of isolation and the weight of their encounter with death. The “lonely pride of those who die” that they bear as they head home signifies a newfound awareness of life’s ultimate solitude, a lesson imparted by their brush with the natural cycle of life and death.

The final image of the gulls’ “sweet shrieking” accompanying the children’s departure brings the poem full circle, contrasting the vitality of the living with the stillness of death. The shrieks serve as a reminder of the ongoing life around them, even as they carry the memory of the dying gull.

In "Lives of Gulls and Children," Nemerov masterfully captures a moment of existential discovery. Through the detailed portrayal of the children’s encounter with death and their reflections on the gull’s plight, the poem delves into profound themes of mortality, empathy, and the inherent solitude of life and death. The children’s journey becomes a poignant exploration of the boundaries between innocence and the harsh realities of existence, offering a contemplative reflection on the natural world’s relentless cycle.

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