Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Two Moon to a Journalist After Rehearsal: 1898" by Geoffrey Brock presents a fictional monologue from the perspective of Two Moon, a Northern Cheyenne chief who participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Through this imagined reflection, Brock explores themes of memory, historical interpretation, and the transformation of profound events into spectacle. The poem juxtaposes the raw, visceral experience of battle with its later reenactment for entertainment, delving into the complexities of how history is remembered and repurposed.

The opening lines establish Two Moon's initial belief in the deterministic role of the Great Spirits in orchestrating the conflict between the Sioux, the Cheyenne, and the white settlers and soldiers. This perspective suggests a view of history and conflict as part of a larger, divinely orchestrated plan, underscoring the inevitability of confrontation in the settling of the American West.

The detailed recounting of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, with its vivid imagery of combat and the chaos of battle, serves to ground the poem in a specific historical moment while highlighting the brutality and tragedy of war. Two Moon's recollections of individual acts of bravery on both sides humanize the combatants, moving beyond simplistic narratives of heroes and villains to acknowledge the complexity and dignity of those involved.

The transition from the immediacy of battle to the aftermath, where the dead are seen not as soldiers or enemies but simply as "men dead," reflects a shift in perspective. The absence of a victory dance and the mention of being "still with sorrow" emphasize the somber reality of the aftermath, a moment of reflection on the cost of the conflict.

The closing lines of the poem address the contemporary context in which Two Moon is speaking — 1898, twenty years after the battle, at a time when the Wild West Show has commodified and romanticized the violence of the frontier. The mention of "Long Hair's widow" (referring to General Custer, often called Long Hair) and the plan to "play the fight again" for entertainment highlights the transformation of a tragic historical event into a performance, raising questions about the ethics of such reenactments and the ways in which history is packaged and sold.

Through "Two Moon to a Journalist After Rehearsal: 1898," Geoffrey Brock offers a nuanced meditation on the intersections of history, memory, and entertainment. The poem invites readers to consider the implications of turning real-life violence and suffering into spectacle and to reflect on the ways in which historical narratives are constructed and consumed. Through the imagined voice of Two Moon, Brock provides a poignant critique of the commodification of history and the complexities of remembering and representing the past.

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