Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alice Fulton’s "Life Above the Permafrost" delves into the themes of rebirth, awakening, and the contrast between dormancy and life. Through vivid imagery and metaphoric language, the poem explores the transformation from the cold, dormant state of winter to the vibrant, enlivened atmosphere of summer, paralleling this transition with emotional and physical awakening.

The poem begins by describing the dormancy of winter: "All winter the trees tossed in their coma." This line evokes a sense of stillness and lifelessness, with the trees seemingly asleep, unable to fully awaken. The imagery of fields unrolling "like a pallet" and snow as "the universal donor" connects the winter landscape to a sense of blankness and uniformity. Snow, described as "the connective in all the ready metaphors," suggests its ubiquitous presence in winter imagery, binding the landscape in a cold, white embrace.

The metaphor continues with the sky "coarse as hotel linen" and bedsheets "the half-white of rice paper," drawing a parallel between the natural world and familiar, domestic items. This kinship between the outside world and the personal sphere highlights the pervasive influence of winter's dormancy on both the environment and the individual.

The speaker expresses a longing for renewal: "I wanted each day to start / the way the body starts in sleep: a reflex of sun, mimosa explosions." This desire for a sudden, vibrant awakening contrasts with the slow, inevitable rise of light, "light rising like sap / in maples," which symbolizes a gradual and natural progression. The mention of maples "warted with sparrows too frigid to fly South" emphasizes the harshness of winter, where even the birds are trapped in the cold.

The imagery of the speaker in bed, with nails raking the chenille spread "like a mulch of snow," creates a parallel between the external landscape and the internal, emotional state of the speaker. The heart, "snug as a corm in its coldframe," reflects a sense of being protected yet constrained, hesitant to reach out and engage with the world.

As the poem transitions to summer, the tone shifts to one of warmth and liveliness: "Now there are parasol garnishes / on the rum drinks of summer, Adirondack chairs with wind in the slats." The speaker experiences an emotional and physical awakening, akin to the seasonal shift. The imagery of "parasol garnishes" and "Adirondack chairs" evokes a relaxed, carefree atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the earlier winter scene.

The speaker’s sense of being held and supported is likened to "a migratory bird," suggesting a feeling of freedom and movement: "Your arms band me like a migratory bird." This comparison implies a newfound sense of belonging and connection, no longer bound by the constraints of winter. The tactile imagery of "the raised candle-wicking of the quilt / cornrows our skin" and "Our fingers braid like aerial roots" emphasizes the intimacy and interconnectedness of the speaker’s relationship.

The poem concludes with a desire to leave behind past burdens and fully embrace the present: "You make me want / to stop tending relics in my head, that well-stocked potter's field." The speaker wishes to focus on the simple pleasures of life, symbolized by "the insects' adenoidal plainsong" and the harmonic references to "the keynote, the tonic." This shift signifies an acceptance of the present and a release from the past.

"Life Above the Permafrost" by Alice Fulton beautifully captures the transition from the cold dormancy of winter to the warmth and vibrancy of summer, using this natural transformation as a metaphor for emotional and relational awakening. Through rich imagery and reflective language, Fulton invites readers to contemplate the cycles of life and the potential for renewal and connection.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cascade_Experiment_Selected_Poems/1HdBlWBSDCoC?q=ALICE+FULTON+%22+A+LITTLE+HEART+TO+HEART+WITH+THE+HORIZON%22&gbpv=1#f=false

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