Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Statistics," by Kenneth Fearing, is a reflective poem that explores the impersonal nature of numerical data and its inability to capture the complexity and individuality of human life. By presenting a range of statistics about life, death, and human behavior, Fearing highlights the discrepancy between cold, hard numbers and the vivid reality they attempt to describe.

The poem opens with a seemingly mundane statistic: "Sixty souls, this day, will arrange for travel to brighter / lands and bluer skies." The mention of "sixty souls" embarking on a journey implies hope and aspiration, while the "brighter lands and bluer skies" evoke idyllic destinations. However, the use of "souls" adds a layer of abstraction, distancing the reader from the individual stories behind each person's journey.

The poem continues with another ordinary yet evocative observation: "At sunset, two thousand will stop for a moment to watch / birds flying south." This line captures a shared moment of wonder as people pause to observe the seasonal migration of birds. The collective imagery contrasts the individual solitude of the next statistic: "In five thousand rooms the shades will be drawn, with the / lamps adjusted, the tables prepared, and the cards / arranged for solitaire." The image of solitaire suggests isolation, implying that many people seek solace in solitary activities despite the shared moments that occur simultaneously.

Fearing then shifts to more significant life events: "This day, ninety-four will divorce, while thirty-three / persons meet great, though unexpected, financial / success." The juxtaposition of divorce with financial success highlights the unpredictable and often contradictory nature of human experiences. These figures suggest that for every couple breaking up, there are others finding success and fulfillment.

The next statistic is stark and unsettling: "Twenty-one, on this day, will elect to die." The mention of suicide contrasts sharply with the hopeful imagery of "brighter lands and bluer skies," underscoring the despair and isolation felt by some individuals.

The poem continues with a declarative summary: "These are the figures, incontrovertibly; such are the facts. / Sixty, two thousand, five thousand, ninety-four, thirty / three, twenty-one." By listing the numbers directly, Fearing emphasizes their cold and impersonal nature. The repetition of the numbers gives them a rhythmic quality, but also reinforces their distance from the human stories behind them.

Fearing then introduces a metaphorical "Actuary of actuaries" who oversees these statistics: "Actuary of actuaries, when these ordained numbers shall / have been fulfilled at the scheduled hour, / What shall be done to prove and redeem them, to explain / and preserve them?" This actuary represents the impersonal, bureaucratic approach to quantifying human life. The question of how to "prove and redeem" the numbers reflects the challenge of finding meaning in statistics.

The poem concludes with a direct question: "How shall these accounts be balanced, otherwise than in / personal flesh and blood?" Here, Fearing acknowledges that statistics alone cannot capture the full depth of human experiences, which are ultimately grounded in "personal flesh and blood."

The final lines extend the metaphor to a "fiery comptometer": "By cold addition or subtraction? And on what fiery / comptometer?" The comptometer, an early mechanical calculator, symbolizes the cold calculation of life reduced to numbers. The "fiery" adjective suggests the emotional weight and urgency of these calculations, as they represent real people and their lives.

Fearing ends with a stark reminder of the importance of accurate interpretation: "Because the need for an answer that is correct is very great." This concluding line underscores the need to find meaning and understanding beyond the impersonal data.

Structurally, "Statistics" employs free verse, allowing Fearing to seamlessly blend numerical data with introspective reflections. The varied line lengths and repetition of numbers give the poem a rhythmic yet disjointed feel, mirroring the tension between impersonal statistics and individual stories.

In "Statistics," Kenneth Fearing masterfully critiques the reduction of human life to cold, impersonal numbers. By contrasting the numerical data with vivid imagery and introspective questions, Fearing challenges the reader to look beyond the statistics and recognize the complexity and individuality of each human story. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the limitations of numbers in capturing the richness of life.

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