Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser's "The Book of the Dead: Absalom" is a deeply moving and powerful poem that delves into the personal tragedies experienced by the families of the men who worked in the Gauley Bridge tunnel. The poem is a poignant exploration of loss, injustice, and the enduring human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.

The narrative is framed through the perspective of a mother who has lost her sons to the deadly working conditions in the tunnel. The poem opens with a matter-of-fact statement: "I first discovered what was killing these men." This stark declaration sets the tone for the personal and communal devastation that follows.

The mother recounts the story of her three sons, Cecil, Owen, and Shirley, who were persuaded by a power company foreman to leave their unstable coal mining jobs for what seemed like better-paying work in the tunnel. This decision, motivated by the promise of better wages, ultimately led to their demise. The mother's youngest son, Shirley, becomes the focal point of her grief and the poem’s narrative.

Rukeyser intersperses the mother’s testimony with lines from the Egyptian "Book of the Dead," creating a poignant juxtaposition between ancient rituals of the afterlife and the modern-day suffering of these workers. The lines "My heart my mother my heart my mother / My heart my coming into being" resonate deeply, highlighting the mother's emotional and physical connection to her children and her profound sense of loss.

The mother describes the harrowing decline of her son Shirley, who worked in the tunnel for eighteen months before falling ill. The image of her carrying him from bed to table and bed to porch underscores the intimate and heartbreaking nature of her caregiving. The phrase "My heart is mine in the place of hearts, / They gave me back my heart, it lies in me" reflects her attempt to find strength and maintain a sense of self amidst her suffering.

The poem also exposes the negligence and lack of accountability by those in power. The mother recounts her desperate efforts to get medical help for her sons, only to be met with indifference and greed. Dr. Harless, the only doctor she trusted, initially refused to help because he was uncertain about his compensation. This detail underscores the systemic failures and the exploitation that compounded the workers' suffering.

The mother's determination to seek justice for her sons is evident in her pursuit of an X-ray and her subsequent efforts to secure compensation. Her son's dying wish for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death highlights his awareness of the injustice they faced and his hope for accountability. The repeated references to mastery over various elements—"I have gained mastery over my heart / I have gained mastery over my two hands"—reflect the mother's resilience and her struggle to reclaim control in the face of relentless loss.

The poem culminates in a litany of names, a roll call of the dead and the suffering from various towns in the valley. This enumeration serves to emphasize the widespread impact of the tunnel’s deadly conditions and to memorialize those who perished. The mother’s recounting of her sons' ages and their diagnoses further personalizes the tragedy and underscores the preventable nature of their deaths.

Rukeyser’s incorporation of lines from the "Book of the Dead" throughout the poem lends a timeless quality to the mother’s lament and situates her personal grief within a broader human context of mourning and remembrance. The final lines—"I open out a way, they have covered my sky with crystal / I come forth by day, I am born a second time"—evoke a sense of rebirth and resilience, suggesting that despite the immense suffering, there is a path forward for those left behind.

"The Book of the Dead: Absalom" is a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit, the quest for justice, and the deep bonds of family and community. Through the mother’s voice, Rukeyser captures the personal cost of industrial negligence and the strength required to confront and overcome such profound loss.

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