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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"After the Industrial Revolution, All Things Happen at Once" by Robert Bly is a complex and layered poem that navigates through the chaotic confluence of history, culture, and industrialization. Bly crafts a tapestry of images and historical references that span different eras, blending them into a single, continuous narrative that reflects on the profound transformations wrought by the Industrial Revolution and its aftermath on society, politics, and human consciousness. The poem opens with the evocation of a "strange world" where time and history overlap: the Hessian Christmas continues as if the American Revolution had not concluded, and the Republic's journey is depicted as an ongoing voyage on the open sea. This setting destabilizes the linear perception of time, suggesting that past events, decisions, and cultural practices continue to resonate and influence the present. Bly introduces disparate historical and cultural figures and moments, from Washington not reaching the shore, symbolizing unresolved struggles and aspirations, to the Whiskey Boys, referencing the Whiskey Rebellion and hinting at recurrent themes of dissent and resistance within American history. The juxtaposition of these historical references with contemporary figures like Henry Cabot Lodge discussing sugar cane in Cuba, and Ford in Detroit, reflects on the entanglement of politics, industry, and imperialism. The repetition of Henry Cabot Lodge's exhortation to "Remember the Maine!" alongside Ford's dismissal of history as "bunk" and Wilson's implied reference to the controversial statement about General Motors underscores the tension between historical memory, corporate interests, and national identity. Bly critiques the reduction of history to slogans and the subordination of ethical considerations to economic imperatives. Amidst these reflections, Bly introduces a surreal image of a "black angel in Washington, dancing / On a barge," which serves as a poignant symbol of America's complex racial history and the ongoing struggle for justice and equality. This figure's message about dividing "kennel dogs / And hunting dogs" suggests the artificial and constructed nature of societal divisions and hierarchies. The poem's closing lines evoke the singing of the dead of Cripple Creek and Coxey's army, connecting labor movements and social protests to the broader historical narrative. The image of turkeys singing from the tops of trees and the Whiskey Boys' drunken revelry outside Philadelphia serve as reminders of the vibrant, often chaotic, and contested nature of American democracy and the continuous struggle for a more just and equitable society. "After the Industrial Revolution, All Things Happen at Once" is a meditation on the complexity of history and the interwoven tapestry of American identity. Through his vivid imagery and historical references, Robert Bly invites readers to reflect on the ways in which the past permeates the present, shaping our collective consciousness and the fabric of our lives in profound and often unsettling ways.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PRODIGAL SON by ROBERT BLY THE GARDEN SEAT by THOMAS HARDY SUNSET WINGS by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI LITTLE JERRY, THE MILLER by JOHN GODFREY SAXE SUMMER NIGHT, RIVERSIDE by SARA TEASDALE IN MEMORIAM A.H.H.: 130 by ALFRED TENNYSON TO MY FRIEND MR. THOMAS FLATMAN, ON THE PUBLISHING OF THESE HIS POEMS by FRANCIS BARNARD (D. 1698) MILTONIC by MAVIS CLARE BARNETT RYE BREAD by WILLIAM STANLEY BRAITHWAITE |
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