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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"After" by Daniel Berrigan, written in the wake of September 2001, is a deeply reflective and poignant meditation on the tragic events of 9/11 and their aftermath. The poem grapples with themes of loss, morality, divine justice, and the societal implications of the Twin Towers' fall, merging biblical allusions with contemporary reflections to probe the spiritual and ethical dimensions of this cataclysmic moment in modern history. The opening lines immediately place the reader in the midst of the disaster's aftermath, presenting the collapse of the World Trade Center as "A conundrum." This choice of word suggests a puzzle or problem that is difficult to solve, setting the tone for the poem's exploration of complex questions about justice, retribution, and divine will. Berrigan uses the metaphor of the towers falling like Lucifer, the "Star of morning," to draw a parallel between the biblical story of pride and fall and the destruction of the World Trade Center. This comparison to Lucifer, a symbol of pride and rebellion cast down from heaven, invites readers to reflect on themes of hubris, fallibility, and the consequences of human actions. The question of divine approval — "Did God approve, did they prosper us?" — underscores the poem's struggle with understanding the relationship between divine providence and human suffering. Berrigan probes the moral ambiguities surrounding the event, questioning whether the towers' destruction, and the economic empire they symbolized, was in some way a judgment or a lesson. The imagery of money being "Amortised in pockets / emptied, once for all" highlights the financial and human costs of the tragedy. Berrigan critiques the idolatry of wealth and economic power ("Did Mammon / mortise the money / That raised them high"), suggesting that the towers' association with financial might and their eventual collapse point to deeper moral and spiritual failings. The reference to Babylon, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great," invokes the biblical prophecy of a mighty empire's fall as a symbol of divine retribution for arrogance and moral decay. Berrigan's use of this imagery to describe the Twin Towers further complicates the poem's exploration of justice, suggesting a parallel between historical cycles of rise and fall and the contemporary events of 9/11. The poem's conclusion, with its "Confusion of tongues" and the juxtaposition of calls for vengeance with contemplative mourning, captures the collective bewilderment and varied responses to the tragedy. Berrigan alludes to the Tower of Babel to underscore the themes of human ambition, division, and the search for meaning in the face of incomprehensible loss. "After" is a profound engagement with the spiritual, ethical, and existential questions raised by 9/11. Through its biblical allusions and contemplation of the events' significance, Berrigan challenges readers to reflect on the nature of justice, the consequences of human pride, and the possibility of finding understanding and healing in the aftermath of tragedy. The poem serves as a somber reminder of the costs of hubris and the enduring need for compassion, introspection, and a commitment to higher moral and spiritual principles in navigating the complexities of the modern world. POEM TEXT: https://danielberrigan.org/poems/
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WHEN THE TOWERS FELL by GALWAY KINNELL FROM THE TOWERS by HEATHER MCHUGH NOTES TOWARD A POEM OF REVOLUTION by DIANE DI PRIMA HISTORY OF THE AIRPLANE by LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI SOME COMMON TERMS IN LATIN THAT ARE LARGER THAN OUR LIVES by ALBERT GOLDBARTH THE TWIN TOWERS ARCANE by JACK HIRSCHMAN |
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