Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Survival: Infantry," George Oppen poignantly captures the devastating transformation of the world through the lens of war, particularly the brutal experiences of soldiers on the front lines. The poem delves into the profound shift from a familiar, living world to one dominated by death, destruction, and the overwhelming presence of violence. Through vivid and harrowing imagery, Oppen explores themes of loss, disillusionment, and the struggle to maintain a sense of humanity in the face of relentless war.

The poem opens with a simple yet powerful statement: "And the world changed." This line sets the tone for the entire piece, indicating a dramatic and irreversible shift in the soldiers' perception of reality. The world that once existed—a world with "trees and people, / Sidewalks and roads"—has been obliterated by the horrors of war. These elements represent the everyday, the mundane, and the life-affirming aspects of existence that have been lost. The inclusion of "fish in the sea" emphasizes the natural world's richness and variety, a stark contrast to the desolate landscape that the soldiers now inhabit.

Oppen then introduces a jarring question: "Where did all the rocks come from?" This line reflects the soldiers' bewilderment and disorientation as they navigate a world that has become unrecognizable. The "rocks" symbolize the debris and remnants of what was once a vibrant world, now reduced to rubble and ruin. This imagery suggests that the soldiers are surrounded by the aftermath of destruction, with the landscape transformed into a harsh, inhospitable terrain.

The poem continues with the sensory detail of "the smell of explosives," which reinforces the pervasiveness of violence and death. The "Iron standing in mud" evokes the image of war machinery—tanks, weapons, and other metal objects—stuck in the mire, a metaphor for the soldiers themselves, trapped in the quagmire of war. This image also suggests the stagnation and futility of their situation, where movement and progress are nearly impossible.

Oppen then describes the soldiers' experience of "crawling everywhere on the ground without seeing the / earth again." This line conveys the dehumanizing nature of war, where soldiers are reduced to a primal state, moving through the dirt and mud like animals. The phrase "without seeing the earth again" suggests a loss of connection to the natural world, to life, and to any sense of normalcy. The soldiers are so immersed in the horrors of war that they can no longer perceive the earth as a living, nurturing entity.

The poem takes a turn towards introspection as Oppen writes, "We were ashamed of our half life and our misery: we saw / that everything had died." Here, the soldiers grapple with a deep sense of shame and despair. The term "half life" implies that they are not fully living, merely existing in a state of limbo, caught between life and death. Their "misery" is compounded by the realization that "everything had died," not just in the physical sense, but also in the loss of hope, purpose, and meaning. This recognition is devastating, leaving the soldiers feeling utterly desolate.

The final lines of the poem introduce the arrival of letters: "And the letters came. People who addressed us thru our / lives." These letters, presumably from loved ones back home, serve as a painful reminder of the life the soldiers once knew but can no longer access. The letters "left us gasping. And in tears / In the same mud in the terrible ground." The juxtaposition of the personal, emotional connection represented by the letters with the harsh, unforgiving reality of the battlefield heightens the sense of alienation and despair. The soldiers are overwhelmed by emotion, "gasping" for breath and brought to tears, yet they remain trapped in "the same mud," symbolizing the inescapable nature of their suffering.

"Survival: Infantry" is a stark and moving reflection on the dehumanizing effects of war. George Oppen's use of vivid imagery and direct language conveys the profound transformation of the world as experienced by soldiers on the front lines. The poem captures the disorientation, despair, and emotional devastation that come with the realization that everything familiar and life-affirming has been destroyed. Oppen's work serves as a powerful reminder of the toll that war takes on the human spirit, leaving those who survive physically alive but profoundly altered, disconnected from the world they once knew.

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