Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"There's Too Much Sea on the Big Sur" by Robert Duncan is a poignant and introspective poem that delves into themes of isolation, perception, and the relationship between the individual and the natural world. Through the lens of a woman living on the mountain, Duncan explores the complex interplay between reality and imagination, highlighting the ways in which our internal landscapes shape and are shaped by the external world.

The poem introduces a woman who maintains a delicate balance between the vast, real ocean and her own internalized, "fictive" version of it. Duncan describes her as keeping "her fictive ocean, the ocean her fiction," suggesting that she has crafted a personal narrative or interpretation of the sea that differs significantly from its physical reality. This creation allows her to manage the overwhelming presence of the Pacific Ocean, which she experiences as both "a real enuf pacific" and "a fictive sweep of sea." The ocean, with its immense and uncontainable nature, represents forces and emotions that are beyond the individual's control, yet the woman's act of framing it as a narrative renders it a part of her personal story.

The imagery of the woman smiling "a solitary smile & showd a kind display of cruel teeth" adds a layer of ambiguity and depth to her character. This expression could be interpreted as a symbol of her resilience or her bitterness, or perhaps a combination of both, reflecting the complexities of her emotions regarding her isolation and her environment.

The phrase "great dark" and the description of the sea as "somnambulant lapping deep" further emphasize the ocean's vastness and mystery, and her ambiguous relationship with it. Her statement that the dark sea "is dark of me" suggests a profound identification with the ocean's depths, hinting at the deep, perhaps darker aspects of her own psyche that she projects onto the surrounding landscape.

In her garden, wearing "a large straw hat to shade her eyes," the woman appears as a figure deeply rooted in her specific environment, yet consciously shielding herself from the full impact of the sun and sea. This act of gardening on the "steep edge" while protecting her eyes symbolizes her effort to cultivate a manageable reality where she can exert some control, in contrast to the overwhelming force of the sea.

Her proclamation that the view represents "a final beauty" and that "Nothing else is final" speaks to her recognition of the sea's sublime and terrifying beauty as one of the few certainties in her life. This sentiment reflects a resignation to the permanence of natural beauty and its dominance over human affairs.

Duncan portrays the woman's intense humanity and her conscious separation from the sea, despite her proximity to it. Her remark, "You are uninteresting," possibly directed at an imagined critic or at herself, underscores a defensive acknowledgment of her complex relationship with the external world. This dialogue highlights her struggle to maintain her identity and sanity in the face of the natural world's indifferent splendor.

The poem concludes with the woman's admission that "The real sea keeps me in," a statement that encapsulates the essence of her experience. The sea, with its daunting presence, acts as a barrier that both defines and confines her, influencing her choices and limiting her engagement with the world beyond her self-imposed boundaries.

Overall, "There's Too Much Sea on the Big Sur" is a reflective and richly layered poem that captures the tension between the sublime power of nature and the human need for meaning and control. Duncan's use of vivid imagery and complex character portrayal invites readers to consider how our environments shape our perceptions of ourselves and our realities.

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