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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Residual Years" by William Everson delves into the theme of time and the enduring marks it leaves on the landscape, human consciousness, and culture. Through detailed imagery of a pastoral setting, the poem reflects on the persistence of the past and its lingering influence on the present. The opening lines, "As long as we looked lay the low country. / As long as we looked," evoke a sense of continuous observation, suggesting that the depth and richness of the landscape—and by extension, the past—reveal themselves to those who take the time to observe. The repetition emphasizes the act of looking as a means to connect with the landscape's history and essence. Everson's description of the landscape is rich in pastoral imagery: "ranchos miled in their open acres, / The populous oaks and the weedy weirs." These images convey a sense of vast, open spaces that are both timeless and full of life. The mention of "birds in the rushes" and "silent cattle" deep in the grass further contributes to the serene, yet vibrant, atmosphere of the poem. The phrase "And all about us the leveled light" beautifully captures the quality of light that seems to unify and illuminate the landscape, highlighting its timeless beauty. The mention of "Roads bent to the bogs" and "Fenced from the fields they wound in the marshes" suggests human attempts to navigate and partition the natural world, yet these endeavors are portrayed as harmonious with the landscape rather than disruptive. The sighting of "slim-legged horses" and the notion of seeing "time in the air" imbue the poem with a sense of witnessing the past in the present moment. This visual and metaphysical observation suggests that the essence of what has come before remains palpable and visible to those who look closely. Everson's reflection on "the held heart of an older order" speaks to a deep connection with a way of life that predates the speaker's immediate ancestors, indicating a cultural and historical lineage that extends beyond personal memory. This "older order" is described as expansive and barely perceptible in the modern age, yet its "traces and wisps" still hang on, suggesting resilience and continuity. The poem concludes by considering these remnants of the past as "turning up from its depth" in the present, offering glimpses into a "cultural close / We had thought too faint to recapture." This realization that the past is not entirely lost but instead subtly persists in the present moment invites readers to reconsider their relationship with history, culture, and the landscape. "Residual Years" is a contemplative and evocative poem that explores the interplay between time, memory, and the natural world. Through its detailed pastoral imagery and reflective tone, the poem suggests that the past, though seemingly distant, continues to inform and shape the present in subtle and enduring ways.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HUDSON by GEORGE SIDNEY HELLMAN THE HOUSE OF LIFE: 4. LOVESIGHT by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE TROOPS by SIEGFRIED SASSOON SONG TOURNAMENT: NEW STYLE by LOUIS UNTERMEYER YOUTH, DAY, OLD AGE AND NIGHT by WALT WHITMAN A NAMELESS EPITAPH (1) by MATTHEW ARNOLD TO HIS INGENIOUS FRIEND, MR. N. TATE by PHILIP AYRES TO JOHN DRYDEN, ESQ.; POET LAUREATE AND HISTOGRAPHER ROYAL by PHILIP AYRES |
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