Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Fence Wire" by James Dickey is a reflective and metaphorically rich poem that explores the themes of nature, human influence, and the boundaries imposed by human endeavor on the natural world. Through the symbol of a tightly strung fence wire, Dickey meditates on the interconnectedness of life, the impact of human presence, and the transformational nature of our interactions with the environment.

The poem begins with the description of the fence wire as being "Too tight," a physical and symbolic tension that runs through the landscape. This tension is not static; it trembles and disappears into the distance, traversing hills, woods, and roads, enveloping the land it encloses. This wire delineates boundaries, both literal and figurative, defining the "earthly estate" of the animals it contains, separating the domestic from the wild, the owned from the free.

Dickey uses the imagery of the fence wire to reflect on the broader implications of human boundaries. The wire, while seemingly inert, vibrates with the life it encircles and the energy of the land it crosses. It is a conduit of control but also a participant in the landscape, affecting and affected by the elements and creatures around it.

The transformation of the winter hawk into a robin, and then into a boy and a man, illustrates the fluidity and interconnectedness of life forms. Each transformation reflects a different perspective on the wire and the land. From the hawk's predatory view to the robin's innocuous presence, then to the boy's curiosity and the man's ownership, Dickey shows how each interacts with the landscape differently.

The man placing his hand on the wire, feeling the farm "feeding slowly / And nervously into his hand," is a powerful image. It suggests control and connection, the farm’s lifeblood pulsing through the wire into the man, symbolizing how deeply tied human life is to the land and its creatures. The potential for the wire to cut, causing his blood to spill, underscores the fragility and precariousness of this relationship.

The constant humming of the wire, driven by the surrounding life and decay, evokes a sense of eternal presence. This sound is the acoustic signature of the land, organizing and defining it. The fence wire, tuned like a musical instrument to the note of E, becomes an agent of harmony and order, bringing balance to the dead corn and heightened awareness to the animals. It transforms the landscape into a living psalm, a sacred song of life and continuity.

In "Fence Wire," the fence is more than a physical barrier; it is a metaphor for the human condition. It represents the ways we define and defend our territories, physically and emotionally, and how we seek to harmonize with or control the natural world. The poem closes on a contemplative note, questioning the side of the animals or the humans, and whether the boundaries we create serve to protect, imprison, or something in between. Dickey leaves the reader pondering the invisible lines we draw and the visible impacts they have on the world around us.

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