Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Vintage Absence," John Hollander uses the metaphor of wine aging in a cellar to explore themes of patience, longing, and the complexities of love. The poem intricately weaves together images of wine, time, and emotion, creating a rich tapestry that reflects on the passage of time and the bittersweet nature of unfulfilled desires.

The poem begins with an image of wines lying "Slumbering in their litres" on the darkened floor of a closet, evoking a sense of dormancy and anticipation. These wines, once affordable, now seem to await someone or something special: "Is it you they were waiting for?" This line sets the tone for the poem, hinting at a deeper significance behind the wines' aging process.

Hollander contrasts the esteemed '61 Brane Cantenac with the more recent and less remarkable Beaujolais. The former, improving with age, holds "Treasures within its taste," while the latter, "grown pink with tears," is ephemeral and lacks depth. This comparison underscores the poem's central theme of patience versus immediate gratification. The '61 wine represents the rewards of waiting, while the Beaujolais symbolizes the fleeting pleasures of the present.

The poet then reflects on the wines that have come and gone, meditating on what readiness and waiting truly mean. "Patience and Longing (for the taste / That will not yield to longing and / Loves the cool, undemanding hand / Of patience) lay my cellar waste." These lines highlight the tension between the desire for immediate satisfaction and the understanding that some pleasures, like fine wine, require time and patience to fully develop. The cellar, filled with wines both green and over-aged, becomes a metaphor for the poet's own heart—ripe with emotion but often misguided.

Hollander's depiction of love as having "no vintage of renown" suggests a cynical view of romantic fulfillment. The heart, ever eager and ripe, is "wrong," constantly longing for a perfect taste that may never materialize. This longing leaves the cellar—and the heart—wasted by unfulfilled desires and missed opportunities.

The poem's final stanza offers a glimmer of hope or at least acceptance. The "deeper spirits" must be kept, while the "lighter fancies have been drained." This implies a maturation of the poet's emotional life, moving away from transient pleasures toward something more enduring. "And some day, what will have remained, / By moonlight sipped, will guard our sleep." The act of sipping these aged spirits by moonlight suggests a quiet, reflective enjoyment of what remains, a coming to terms with the passage of time and the endurance of deeper, more profound emotions.

"Vintage Absence" captures the delicate balance between the fleeting and the enduring, between immediate gratification and the slow, patient ripening of life's deeper pleasures. Through the metaphor of wine, Hollander reflects on the nature of longing, the passage of time, and the wisdom that comes from patience and acceptance. The poem's rich imagery and contemplative tone invite readers to ponder their own experiences of waiting, longing, and ultimately finding solace in what endures.

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