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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Cythera" by David Ferry is an evocative poem that captures a moment of departure and the contrasting emotions it evokes. The title, "Cythera," references an island often associated with Venus, the goddess of love, suggesting themes of beauty, desire, and perhaps the ephemeral nature of these experiences. The poem juxtaposes the departure of a group on a ship with the reactions of children watching from the shore, weaving a complex tapestry of beauty, loss, and the innocence of youth contrasted with the harshness of reality. The opening line, "There they go, down to the fatal ship," immediately introduces a sense of foreboding. The adjective "fatal" hints at an underlying doom or danger associated with the voyage, despite the outward beauty and allure of the scene. The travelers are aware of their own beauty, which adds a layer of tragic vanity or perhaps tragic fate to their journey. They are embarking on a beautiful but possibly ill-fated voyage, and this awareness of beauty seems intertwined with a sense of inevitable loss. The line, "The ship will sail very soon. The sea / Will cover them over very soon unknowingly," further amplifies this sense of impending loss. The repetition of "very soon" underscores the urgency and the fleeting nature of the departure, while "unknowingly" suggests a lack of awareness or denial about the true nature of their journey among those aboard. Observers of this scene are the children on the shore, who are instructed to "Wave goodbye from the shore, children." The act of waving goodbye is both a gesture of farewell and a symbol of the separation between the observers and the departing. The emotional impact of the departure is reflected in the changing expressions of the children's faces, indicating a mixture of sadness, confusion, and perhaps a sense of abandonment. The aesthetic beauty of the departure is highlighted by descriptions of the ship's sails made of silk and the radiant sunset. However, this beauty is starkly contrasted with the condition of the children: "You look hungry, children, tired, angry." This stark juxtaposition emphasizes the divide between the idyllic, almost unreal departure of the ship and the gritty reality faced by the children left behind. The children's hunger and fatigue starkly contrast with the serene and glamorous departure of the ship, suggesting themes of inequality, unfulfilled desires, and the harsh realities of life. The mention of music playing about the mast and the loveliness of the travelers' faces compared to the "angry children" further deepens the contrast. The music adds a layer of surreal beauty to the scene, enhancing the dreamlike quality of the departure, while the comparison to the angry children emphasizes the disparities in experience and perception between those departing and those remaining. Through "Cythera," David Ferry crafts a powerful and layered narrative that explores the beauty and pain of farewells, the stark realities of different life experiences, and the poignant impact of beauty contrasted with suffering. The poem leaves the reader reflecting on the nature of departures, the innocence lost by those who remain, and the complex emotions that such scenes evoke.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN CHILDREN SELECTING BOOKS IN A LIBRARY by RANDALL JARRELL COME TO THE STONE ... by RANDALL JARRELL THE LOST WORLD by RANDALL JARRELL A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD by DONALD JUSTICE THE POET AT SEVEN by DONALD JUSTICE |
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