Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Richard Wilbur’s “Fall in Corrales” is a rich meditation on the cyclical nature of time, the transience of seasons, and the interplay between the human spirit and the natural world. The poem is steeped in sensory imagery and philosophical reflection, exploring the contrasts between vitality and decay, enclosure and openness, and human artifice and natural inevitability. Through its evocative language and rhythmic flow, Fall in Corrales captures the unique poignancy of autumn, offering a layered contemplation of life’s impermanence and the ways we navigate its transitions.

The opening stanza sets the tone with a description of winter’s impending arrival: “Winter will be feasts and fires in the shut houses, / Lovers with hot mouths in their blanched bed.” Here, Wilbur paints a picture of human efforts to counteract the starkness of the cold season through warmth, intimacy, and creativity. The "shut houses" symbolize enclosure and retreat, while the "prayers and poems made" underscore the human need to create meaning and solace against the vast, indifferent forces of nature, described as "the world huge and dead." This stanza establishes the human tendency to respond to the external world’s barrenness with internal richness, transforming it into an act of defiance and resilience.

In the second stanza, Wilbur contrasts the stillness of summer with the present moment of autumnal transition: “Charms, all charms, as in stillness of plumb summer / The shut head lies down in bottomless grasses.” The imagery of a head resting in tall grasses evokes a sense of surrender to the lush abundance of summer, where thought merges with the sensual experience of heat and sound. However, the desire for timeless immersion is tempered by an awareness that "time passes." This acknowledgment introduces the inevitability of change and foreshadows the crumbling of summer into fall.

The third stanza deepens the sense of change, likening the present crumbling of summer to the raw winds of early spring: “It is as when in bald April the wind / Unhoused the spirit for a while.” In both seasons, the structures of the past—whether physical or psychological—are stripped away, leaving a sense of exposure and vulnerability. However, Wilbur contrasts the current moment with spring’s vitality: “Then there was no need by tales or drowsing / To make the thing that we were mothered by.” In spring, the speaker suggests, the self dissolves into nature’s energy, fully merging with its creative force. This fusion is conveyed through visceral imagery: “It was ourselves who melted in the mountains, / And the sun dove into every eye.” The intensity of this connection with nature is both liberating and consuming, blurring the boundaries between self and environment.

The fourth stanza brings the focus back to the present, contrasting the past vibrancy of spring with the quieter decline of autumn: “Now in its empty bed the truant river / Leaves but the perfect rumples of its flow.” The river, once dynamic, has receded, leaving only traces of its former path. The cottonwoods, shedding their leaves, are described as “spending gold like water,” an image that captures both beauty and extravagance, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of their glory. The "weeds in their light detachments" evoke a sense of dispersal, as life fragments and scatters with the changing season.

The final stanza reflects on the starkness of the autumnal landscape: “In a dry world more huge than rhyme or dreaming.” The vastness of this world dwarfs human attempts to capture or comprehend it through language and imagination. The speaker acknowledges this reality and responds with acceptance, choosing to “stand in the wind and, bowing to this time, / Practise the candor of our bones.” This act of bowing suggests humility and reconciliation with the inevitability of decay and mortality. The phrase “candor of our bones” implies a stripping away of artifice, a return to fundamental truths about existence. The simplicity and honesty of this gesture resonate with the larger themes of the poem, emphasizing the value of embracing impermanence.

Structurally, “Fall in Corrales” flows through unrhymed stanzas, allowing Wilbur to move freely between vivid descriptions and reflective insights. The rhythm is measured yet fluid, mirroring the natural cycles it describes. Wilbur’s language is precise and evocative, blending the sensual immediacy of autumn’s sights and sounds with philosophical meditations on time and change.

“Fall in Corrales” ultimately explores the interplay between human life and the cycles of nature, emphasizing the transience of seasons and the ways in which we respond to their rhythms. Wilbur’s portrayal of autumn captures both its beauty and its austerity, offering a nuanced reflection on the passage of time and the necessity of embracing life’s impermanence. Through its rich imagery and contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to find meaning and grace in the act of letting go, standing open to the inevitability of change.

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