Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"In the Time of False Messiahs; Circa 1648" by Norman Dubie is a compelling poem that juxtaposes despair and hope within a historical and mystical context. The setting is 17th-century Poland, a time and place marked by social and political turmoil, including widespread famine. Dubie crafts a narrative around a poor rabbi, who emerges as a symbolic figure representing both the suffering and enduring faith of the people during this period.

The poem opens with the rabbi sitting in the shade of trees at moonrise, a serene yet haunting image. His surroundings are marked by the surreal vision of fleas hunting wolves, an inversion of natural order that suggests the chaos of the times. The rabbi’s attire, a paper gown, underscores his vulnerability and the transitory nature of his existence, while his consumption of a black potato highlights the stark reality of famine.

Women dancing like snow behind the rabbi introduce a spectral, almost otherworldly element to the scene. This imagery, combined with the mystical boats floating in the sky and lowering ropes, blurs the lines between reality and vision, evoking the mystical experiences often associated with religious figures in times of crisis.

As the rabbi walks into the forest and praises the white trees and the owls, there is a deepening of the spiritual imagery. The description of the owls—“Their simple fires of digestion, the bones / Of mice igniting in their bowels”—is vivid and symbolic, possibly reflecting the process of transformation and renewal amid decay and consumption. This metaphor extends to the human condition under duress, where even in the depths of despair, there is a kind of raw, vital energy that persists.

The rabbi's act of reaching up and grasping a rope to climb into the boat is rich in symbolic meaning. This ascent can be interpreted as an act of transcendence or escape from the dire conditions on the ground, a theme common in mystical religious narratives where physical ascent mirrors spiritual enlightenment or liberation.

The repeated line, "There was a famine everywhere in Poland," anchors the poem in its historical reality, emphasizing the widespread despair of the time. Yet, the final line, "Everywhere below him there was hope," introduces a profound contrast. From the rabbi's elevated perspective, hope persists among the suffering populace. This dichotomy between the view from above and the reality on the ground suggests a multiplicity of perspectives on suffering and salvation—while the rabbi ascends, possibly towards a form of salvation or escape, he recognizes the enduring hope that persists among those who remain in the struggle.

Overall, Dubie's poem is a meditation on the interplay between despair and hope, the physical and the spiritual, during a time of crisis. It explores how mystical visions or experiences can offer comfort or escape, even if temporary, from the harsh realities of human suffering, and how such visions can coexist with a recognition of the ongoing struggle for survival and renewal.

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