Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Forever Mountain" by Fred Chappell is a poignant tribute to the poet's father, J. T. Chappell (1912-1978), that weaves together themes of memory, nature, and the spiritual journey of life. The poem opens with a vision purified by "a lofty smoke," suggesting a moment of clarity or enlightenment that allows the speaker to perceive his father's ascent into the afterlife. This ascent is not a struggle but a peaceful, leisurely climb up the Pisgah slope, symbolizing a journey to a place of peace or a vantage point of spiritual insight, much like Moses viewing the Promised Land from Mount Pisgah in the Bible.

The father's journey is marked by a deep connection with the natural world. He takes his time, enjoys the "fresh green mornings," and rests in "groves of beech and oak," embodying a harmony with the environment that reflects a life lived in rhythm with the natural world. The mention of a "walking stick of second-growth hickory" suggests resilience and renewal, themes that resonate with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

As the father measures "Its shadow and his own shadow on a sunny rock," there's a contemplation on existence itself, not through the passage of time but through the "quality of light" that illuminates his being. This moment transcends the physical, hinting at the father's reflection on his life and connection to the universe.

The poem subtly introduces the theme of legacy and continuity through the "voices out of time" that resemble "bees to the bee-tree crown." These voices symbolize the ancestral knowledge and wisdom passed down through generations, as indistinct yet as vital as the "heat" that sustains life.

In the tranquil setting by a "clear trout pool," the father's communion with nature culminates in a dreamlike state where "a granary of stars / Rises in the water," a metaphor for the vastness of the universe and the individual's place within it. This image is both grounding and expansive, suggesting a unity between the earthly and the celestial.

The dream of "the horses of pine trees" twisting "like silk ribbon in the breeze" evokes the restless, dynamic spirit of nature and perhaps the restless spirit within the father himself. His glad rise the next morning to continue his ascent symbolizes an ongoing spiritual quest, one that is personal yet universal.

As the vision fades into the distance, "Forever Mountain" transforms into a cloud, a symbol of transience and the ephemeral nature of life. The mountain, like the father, becomes part of the eternal cycle of transformation, illuminated by light and reshaped by the wind.

The poem closes with the declaration, "This is a prayer," indicating that the entire piece is an invocation for peace, a celebration of the father's life, and a meditation on the cycles of nature and existence. "Forever Mountain" serves as both a personal and universal elegy, honoring the continuity of life and the enduring presence of those who have passed on in the landscapes they loved.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Yellow_Shoe_Poets/2D6aqhb651oC?q=BACA+%22MEN+LATE+AT+NIGHT+COOK+COFFEE+IN+RUSTY+CANS%22&gbpv=1&bsq=HUMILITY#f=false

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