Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

David Wagoner’s “Worms” is a brief but evocative meditation on life’s hidden processes and the unease of exposure. Through its vivid imagery and tightly structured lines, the poem draws attention to the often overlooked creatures that live beneath the surface, presenting them as both literal and metaphorical figures for vulnerability and survival.

The opening line establishes a sense of disturbance: “When the spade turns over, the worms / In their sheared gangways, turning tail, go thin.” The action of the spade overturning the soil is a violent intrusion into the worms? subterranean world. The term “sheared gangways” suggests tunnels abruptly severed, emphasizing disruption and displacement. The worms’ instinctive response—“turning tail, go thin”—highlights their fragility and their immediate reaction to danger. The physical shrinking is both literal, as the worms contract, and symbolic, representing the defensiveness and exposure felt when a safe environment is breached.

The poem’s imagery becomes increasingly tactile and visceral as Wagoner describes the worms “blunt[ing] out in the open” and “half-hitching in fishermen’s knots.” The description captures their physicality and their awkward, almost futile attempts to escape. The mention of “fishermen’s knots” subtly introduces the idea of human intervention, hinting at the worms’ fate as bait. This connection underscores the vulnerability of these creatures, whose natural existence is frequently interrupted by larger forces.

The juxtaposition of “sunlight” and “darkness” serves as a central tension in the poem. The worms “flinch[ing] / At sunlight” reveals their discomfort with exposure, reinforcing the idea that their lives are suited to obscurity and concealment. The sunlight, often a symbol of clarity and life, becomes an antagonistic force here, emphasizing the worms’ alienation from the surface world. Conversely, “the pulsing line of their hearts” draws attention to their vitality, a fragile rhythm that persists despite the upheaval.

Wagoner’s comparison of the worms to “elvers in seaweed, mouthing the darkness” deepens the metaphorical resonance of the poem. Elvers, the young of eels, evoke a sense of life navigating an environment fraught with challenges. The phrase “mouthing the darkness” suggests an intimate and almost symbiotic relationship with their hidden world. This darkness is not simply the absence of light; it is a sustaining force, a space where the worms thrive and find purpose.

The final line, “All taken in by the darkness of the mouth,” is both literal and figurative. On one level, it refers to the worms’ retreat into the soil, their natural refuge. On another level, it evokes existential questions about life and consumption. The “darkness of the mouth” could symbolize the cyclical nature of life—where consumption, decay, and rebirth are interconnected. The worms, essential to the soil’s health, embody this cycle, transforming organic matter and contributing to life above ground even as they remain unseen.

Structurally, the poem’s compact form mirrors the worms’ small, contained existence. The enjambment between lines creates a sense of continuous motion, echoing the wriggling and retreating movements of the worms. The rhythmic flow of the lines, with their subtle shifts and turns, mimics the natural undulations of the creatures being described.

“Worms” invites readers to reflect on the unseen and often unappreciated aspects of life. By focusing on these humble creatures, Wagoner elevates their role in the natural world, showing how their hidden labor sustains larger ecosystems. At the same time, the poem serves as a meditation on vulnerability and the instinctive desire for safety in a world that frequently disrupts and exposes. The worms’ retreat into darkness becomes a metaphor for survival, a reminder of the delicate balance between life’s fragility and resilience.

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