Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "The Cossacks" delves into themes of historical trauma, existential fear, and the contrasting ways in which individuals confront the inevitability of death and disaster. The poem uses the figure of the Cossacks—historically associated with violence against Jewish communities—as a metaphor for the ever-present fear and anxiety that lingers in the collective memory of a people, and by extension, in the personal anxieties of the speaker.

The poem begins with the stark declaration: "For Jews, the Cossacks are always coming." This opening line sets the tone for the entire poem, encapsulating the sense of perpetual threat that has haunted Jewish history. The Cossacks, who were known for their raids and pogroms, symbolize the constant anticipation of violence and disaster, a fear that has been passed down through generations. This historical anxiety is internalized by the speaker, who admits, "Therefore I think the sun spot on my arm / is melanoma." Here, the speaker connects the collective fear of persecution with personal fears of illness and death. The automatic assumption that a harmless sunspot might be cancerous reflects a heightened state of vigilance and a tendency to expect the worst.

The poem continues with the speaker's reflection on how this fear influences their perception of life: "Therefore I celebrate / New Year's Eve by counting / my annual dead." Instead of viewing the New Year as a time of renewal and hope, the speaker marks it by tallying losses, emphasizing the way in which fear and loss dominate their consciousness. This ritual of mourning serves as a stark reminder of mortality and the relentless passage of time, reinforcing the theme of existential dread.

The poem then shifts to a more personal reflection on the speaker's mother: "My mother, when she was dying, / spoke to her visitors of books / and travel, displaying serenity / as a form of manners, though / I could tell the difference." The mother's apparent calm in the face of death is presented as a social facade, a way of maintaining dignity and composure for the sake of others. However, the speaker, attuned to the nuances of their mother's behavior, recognizes the underlying fear or resignation masked by this outward display of serenity. This insight into the mother's true feelings contrasts with the speaker's own raw and unfiltered response to fear and death.

The poem then turns to another figure—presumably a close companion or partner—whose response to impending death is markedly different: "But when I watched you planning / for a life you knew / you'd never have, I couldn't explain / your genuine smile in the face / of disaster." The speaker is puzzled by this person's ability to maintain hope and joy despite knowing that their future is limited. This genuine smile, in contrast to the mother's polite serenity, suggests a deeper, more authentic acceptance of mortality.

The speaker wonders if this attitude is a form of "denial / laced with acceptance," or perhaps a cultural inheritance: "Or was it / generations of being English— / Brontë's Lucy in *Villette* / living as if no fire raged / beneath her dun-colored dress." The reference to Lucy Snowe, the protagonist of Charlotte Brontë's novel *Villette*, underscores the idea of maintaining composure and continuing with life even when turmoil and danger are present. The comparison to English stoicism highlights the cultural differences in how people face adversity, with some choosing to carry on as if nothing is amiss, despite the "fire"—the underlying fear or impending doom—that rages beneath the surface.

In the closing lines, the speaker expresses a desire to adopt this approach: "I want to live the way you did, / preparing for next year's famine with wine / and music as if it were a ten-course banquet." This wish reflects an aspiration to embrace life fully, with joy and celebration, even in the face of uncertainty and the knowledge of inevitable loss. However, the final line brings the poem back to its underlying anxiety: "But listen: those are hoofbeats / on the frosty autumn air." The sound of hoofbeats evokes the return of the Cossacks, a symbol of the inescapable fears and threats that continue to haunt the speaker. Despite the desire to live with grace and joy, the ever-present fear of disaster remains.

"The Cossacks" is a powerful exploration of how historical trauma, personal fear, and cultural influences shape our responses to life and death. Through vivid imagery and references to literary and historical figures, Pastan captures the tension between fear and acceptance, and the complex ways in which people cope with the inevitability of loss and the unpredictability of life. The poem ultimately reflects the struggle to find balance between the shadows of the past and the desire to live fully in the present, even as the "hoofbeats" of fear echo in the background.

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