Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Duncan," by Thom Gunn, serves as a poignant tribute to his friend and fellow poet Robert Duncan. The poem explores the evolution of Duncan's poetry and life, detailing both his creative vigor in his youth and his physical decline in later years. Gunn's portrayal captures the essence of a poet whose life was intertwined with his craft, revealing the persistent drive and inevitable frailties that marked Duncan's journey.

The first section of the poem is set in Duncan's younger years, when his poetry "Burst into voice as an unstopping flood." Here, Gunn vividly describes the fervent, almost frenetic energy that characterized Duncan's creative process. The metaphor of the "divine prompting" driving Duncan's pen as he rides the ferry back and forth between San Francisco and Berkeley highlights the relentless and boundless nature of his inspiration. The repetition of the ferry's motion underscores the cyclical and ongoing nature of his writing process, which "learned / You add to, you don't cancel what you do." This notion speaks to the accumulation of experience and creation, a process of continual addition rather than erasure.

Gunn further elaborates on Duncan's creative process, noting how his "pen travelled" across the notebook margins, propelled by an inner energy that transformed confusion into "the changing passage lived within." This passage suggests that Duncan's poetry was not merely a product of deliberate intention but an organic outgrowth of his lived experiences and the spontaneous flow of thoughts and emotions. The ferry ride becomes a metaphor for Duncan's poetic journey, a never-ending movement through different states of being and understanding.

In the second section, Gunn shifts to Duncan's later years, marked by severe illness and the necessity of home dialysis. Despite the physical toll, Duncan's "habit of his restlessness stayed on," illustrating his undiminished responsiveness to life and poetry. Gunn recounts a specific incident where Duncan, after a long day of teaching and giving a reading, faltered on the steps and fell. The image of Duncan falling "Into the strong arms of Thom Gunn" is both comic and tragic, as it portrays the poet's vulnerability and his friend's helplessness in that moment. Gunn admits that he "hadn't caught him," emphasizing the helplessness and the inevitability of Duncan's decline.

This incident is likened to an earlier moment in literary history, where the poet H.D. (Hilda Doolittle) was steadied by another poet after stumbling. The comparison underscores the continuity of poetic tradition and the shared experiences of poets who face physical fragility in their later years. Gunn's reflection on Duncan as a "posthumous poet" suggests that even before his death, Duncan's illness had marked a significant conclusion in his life, symbolized by the imagery of the sparrow's flight "above the feasting friends." This brief illumination amidst "unchanging night" captures the fleeting yet impactful presence of Duncan's life and work.

Gunn's portrayal of Duncan is deeply empathetic, acknowledging both his friend's immense creative spirit and the harsh realities of his physical decline. The poem's structure, moving from the vigor of youth to the frailty of old age, mirrors the universal trajectory of life, making it a fitting homage to a poet who lived passionately and wrote profoundly. The use of vivid imagery and metaphors enriches the narrative, providing a nuanced and heartfelt reflection on the intertwined nature of life, art, and mortality.

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