Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sustainment" by James Dickey is a deeply evocative poem that explores themes of vulnerability, transformation, and the raw power of nature intertwined with human experience. Through the dramatic event of a horse and rider's fall, Dickey examines the sudden shifts from control to chaos, from life to potential death, and ultimately, the resilience and continuation of life amidst traumatic circumstances.

The poem begins with a vivid recounting of a woman and her horse falling into a creek after the bank gives way beneath them. The description is immediate and visceral, capturing the terror of the fall with the screams of both woman and horse melding into one. This catastrophic moment is observed by the speaker, who walks past the scene sometime after the event, alongside his love. The setting is detailed and rich with the remnants of the accident—leaves, the "snow of dirt," and the lingering gap where the earth collapsed, still holding the imprint of the horse.

Dickey uses this tragic scene as a backdrop for a profound contemplation on the forces of nature and human vulnerability. The poem shifts to a reflection on the remnants of the fall—the physical impressions left behind and the emotional and psychological impact on those who come across it. The speaker, with his companion, explores these remnants, touching the cold, rain-soaked earth, feeling the passage of time and the "unmeaningful rains" that have since eroded the sharpness of this traumatic memory.

As the speaker reflects on the scene, there is a palpable tension between the sustaining power of love and the destructive force of nature. He acknowledges that the wood around them, the site of the accident, can support their passion, yet he is acutely aware of the fragility of life as evidenced by the accident. This duality brings a deeper resonance to their experience in the woods, as they navigate their own relationship within the context of this past violence and the ongoing, indifferent processes of nature.

The climax of the poem revisits the moment of the fall in greater detail, emphasizing the dramatic transformation of the scene—from the serene ride in the "high crest of June" to the chaotic, terrifying plunge down the fifty-foot drop, with nature ripping the path "clean out of the woods." The imagery is intense and cinematic, with the horse turning over the woman, crossing the sun and trees "like a myth with a hold on her feet."

In the aftermath, the poem contemplates the paradox of survival and the continuation of life. The horse, surviving the fall, is depicted wandering upstream, his "bridle dragging," his saddle "maniacally wrenched." This image of the horse stopping to drink, "entirely," with his head in his own reflection, underscores a return to the instinctual, the animalistic survival mechanisms that kick in after such a traumatic event.

Ultimately, "Sustainment" probes the existential boundary between human and animal, control and surrender, life and death. It is about how individuals and nature are irrevocably intertwined, each influencing and shaping the other in profound ways. The poem closes with a reflection on the human capacity to endure, to rise from places of deep fall and failure, and the constant negotiation between our animal instincts and our human constructs, between the chaos of nature and the order we strive to impose upon it. This thematic exploration elevates the narrative beyond a simple recounting of an accident, offering a meditation on how we sustain ourselves through the trials and transformations of life.

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