Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Long," by William Matthews, dedicated to Stanley Plumly, presents a contemplative meditation on the passage of time, the nature of existence, and the relationship between the living and the dead. The poem navigates the existential weight of these themes with a lyrical grace, exploring how we perceive and are affected by both the present moment and the inevitable approach of the future.

The poem begins with an urgent recognition: "It's about to be too late." This opening line sets a tone of impending finality, as if the speaker senses an approaching end or a crucial turning point. The "usual weather" is described as "precious and sexual as it goes," suggesting a deep appreciation for the ephemeral nature of everyday experiences. Matthews likens these moments to "the links of a fugue," a musical form where individual voices intertwine in a complex yet harmonious structure. The phrase "strict abandonments" beautifully captures the paradox of a fugue's disciplined yet free-flowing nature, mirroring how moments in life pass away, each giving rise to the next.

The poem's reflection on the future emphasizes its unchangeable nature: "it will not swerve." The metaphor "Fire sleeps in the tree" introduces a sense of latent potential or destruction inherent in all things, yet it remains undefined and unknowable—"Which tree? / Fire sleeps without dreaming and cannot / say." The future, like this dormant fire, is indifferent and inscrutable. The idea that calling the future's name transforms it into "our name, by echo," suggests that our attempts to grasp the future are merely reflections of our own selves, emphasizing the subjective nature of our understanding and expectations.

Matthews then shifts to the theme of the dead, noting their silence and the permanence of their condition. The dead are "locked / in [their] dead name," a state that offers no interaction or complaint. The poem suggests that if the dead could voice their thoughts, they might express disappointment in the way we remember and summon them, offering "dull music and thin wine" as inadequate tributes. This critique underscores a theme of neglect or misunderstanding in how the living honor the deceased, hinting at a failure to fully grasp the depth of loss and memory.

The poem's concluding lines broaden the scope to a cosmic perspective, where the living "talk big" above the dead, perhaps as a way to cope with or diminish the vastness and blandness of existence. The "place" referenced could be both a literal and metaphorical space—the physical world and the conceptual realm of death. Matthews describes this realm as "washed bland by light," suggesting a desensitization or numbing effect brought on by too much exposure to reality or the limits of human understanding.

The "scripture of matter" refers to the fundamental nature of the physical world, the tangible reality that we study and seek to understand. This phrase, along with "our long narcosis of parting," suggests a state of being lulled or numbed by the continuous process of separation—from life, from loved ones, from moments. The narcotic quality of parting points to an inevitable detachment or dissociation as we confront the impermanence of all things.

"Long" thus explores the tension between the transient beauty of life and the immutable presence of death. Matthews employs rich metaphors and a contemplative tone to navigate these profound themes, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of existence, memory, and the passage of time. The poem resonates with a quiet urgency, urging a deeper appreciation of the present and a more thoughtful consideration of the past, even as we are continually drawn toward the unknown future. Through its lyrical and philosophical depth, "Long" offers a meditation on the human condition, marked by an awareness of mortality and the enduring quest for meaning.

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