Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alicia Suskin Ostriker's poem "The History of America" offers a stark and critical reflection on the nation’s development, depicted as a relentless and often violent journey. Through vivid imagery and symbolic language, the poem presents America's history as a dual narrative—one of linear conquest and destruction, and another of cyclical, pervasive suffering. The poem’s structure, alternating between these two perspectives, captures the tension between the narrative of progress and the underlying reality of displacement and violence.

The poem begins with a "linear projection," a metaphor for the forward march of American expansionism. This projection is described as "a route," symbolizing the journey of colonization and westward expansion, a path that "crosses / The ocean in many ships," evoking the arrival of European settlers in the New World. The imagery of cutting "through and down forests" suggests the destruction of nature and indigenous habitats as the settlers pushed forward, transforming the land for their own use. The references to "Rock, weaponry. / Dark trees, mastery" highlight the tools of conquest—both the physical terrain and the instruments of power and control that facilitated this expansion.

Ostriker’s portrayal of America’s expansion is deeply critical, emphasizing the ruthless nature of this process. The settlers are depicted as "killing" and "skinning" the native animals, representing the broader theme of exploitation and dominance over both the land and its original inhabitants. The phrase "its language alters, no account varmint" suggests the dehumanization and marginalization of those who were considered obstacles to progress. The "snake in the reedy river" imagery evokes a sense of treachery and persistence, as the expansion continues despite the destruction it causes.

The poem also explores the idea of America’s expansion as both unstoppable and ultimately unsustainable. The "steel track" that follows the path of progress is "Cold, / Permanent. Not permanent. It will decay." This acknowledgment of eventual decay reflects the transient nature of all empires, suggesting that the structures built on violence and exploitation are doomed to fall apart over time. However, the line "This / Does not matter, it does not actually care" conveys the relentless indifference of the expansionist drive—focused solely on forward momentum, heedless of the consequences.

As the poem progresses, it touches on key moments of American history, such as "Wounded Knee," a reference to the massacre of Native Americans that symbolizes the brutal end of resistance and the burial of indigenous cultures. The poem also alludes to the Gold Rush and the rise of industrial capitalism ("it rushes / Gold, it gambles. It buys plastics"), highlighting the materialism and exploitation that fueled America’s growth. The journey ultimately reaches the Pacific Ocean, where the expansionist drive is halted, not by moral reckoning, but by a geographical limit—"Another / Ocean stops it." Yet, even in the face of this natural boundary, the desire for "escape" and further conquest remains, reflecting an insatiable hunger for more.

In contrast to the linear projection, the poem introduces a "prior circle," a symbol of continuity, life, and the interconnectedness of all things. This circle represents a world "nowhere, / Everywhere," suggesting the presence of a deeper, more enduring reality that contrasts with the linear narrative of conquest. The circle is "swollen, warm," evoking images of birth, life, and the cyclical nature of existence. It "absorbs and projects children, jungles, / Black shoes, pennies, blood," encapsulating the totality of human experience, from the innocence of childhood to the complexity and suffering of adult life.

The circle speaks "Too many dark, suffering languages," indicating the multitude of voices and histories that have been overshadowed or silenced by the dominant narrative of progress. The act of "Reaching a hand / Toward its throat" and disappearing entirely symbolizes the erasure of these voices and the overwhelming power of this cyclical reality, which persists despite attempts to control or suppress it.

The poem’s final lines—"No / Wonder you fear this bleeding pulse, no wonder"—suggest that the true history of America, with all its violence and suffering, is something that the nation fears to fully acknowledge. The "bleeding pulse" represents the ongoing, unhealed wounds of this history, the persistent reminders of the bloodshed and pain that underpin the American experience.

"The History of America" is a powerful meditation on the dualities of American history—its triumphs and its tragedies, its progress and its regressions. Through its complex imagery and shifting perspectives, Ostriker challenges the reader to confront the realities of the nation's past and present, urging a recognition of the cyclical patterns of violence and the enduring impact of history on the American identity.

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