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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
In "The Situation is Intolerable" by Rita Dove, the poem confronts themes of struggle, endurance, and the stark contrast between external appearances of civility and the harsh realities of adversity. Dove uses rich imagery and a tone that oscillates between defiance and resignation to express a collective cry against unbearable circumstances. The poem serves as a powerful examination of dignity in the face of oppression and the human spirit's resilience. The opening line, "INTOLERABLE: that civilized word," immediately sets a tone of irony. It suggests that the word "intolerable" itself is a polished, perhaps even sanitized, descriptor that fails to fully convey the depth of suffering experienced. This irony is deepened by the description of the speakers as also "civilized," indicated by their shining shoes, starched cuffs, and pleated trousers. Yet, despite these symbols of order and refinement, they are metaphorically geared for battle, with "each dovegray pleated trouser leg a righteous sword advancing onto the field of battle in the name of the Lord…" This imagery evokes a sense of a holy war, a fight for justice or survival cloaked in the trappings of propriety and religion. The command to "Hush, now. Assay the terrain" shifts the poem's focus from the internal to the external, urging a strategic evaluation of their surroundings, which are described ominously as "all around us dark and the perimeter in flames." This apocalyptic vision contrasts sharply with the earlier, orderly description of attire, suggesting that their external civility is a facade barely containing the chaos around them. The "tiny, missionary stars" studding "the inky brow of heaven" introduce a motif of guidance and hope, albeit distant and possibly out of reach, illuminating the darkness with serene but aloof light. The poem then transitions to a rawer tone with the lines, "So what if we were born up a creek / and knocked flat with the paddle, if we ain’t got a pot to piss in / and nowhere to put it if we did?" These colloquial expressions starkly portray disadvantage and dispossession, stripping away the earlier veneer of civility to reveal the grittier, more desperate truth of their circumstances. The final stanza encapsulates the essence of the poem—acknowledgment of an "intolerable" situation paired with a refusal to accept passivity. The repetition of "O yes. O mercy on our souls" serves as both a plea for divine intervention and an echo of shared human suffering, encapsulating a plea for recognition and relief. Through "The Situation is Intolerable," Rita Dove crafts a compelling narrative of contrast between the superficial appearances of order and the underlying disorder of life's brutal challenges. The poem is a poignant reminder of the human condition's complexities, where civility and barbarism, despair and hope, coexist and contend within the human spirit. It calls for action and compassion in the face of overwhelming odds, urging its readers not to accept intolerable circumstances passively but to strive, despite the darkness surrounding them.
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