Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Geoffrey Hill's "Two Formal Elegies" is a profound reflection on the Holocaust and its enduring impact. These two elegies delve into the themes of memory, suffering, and the interplay between the past and the present. Hill’s language is dense and evocative, creating a somber tone that befits the subject matter.

The first elegy begins with an acknowledgement of the dead and their final resting places: "Knowing the dead, and how some are disposed: / Subdued under rubble, water, in sand graves, / In clenched cinders not yielding their abused / Bodies and bonds to those whom war's chance saves / Without the law." Hill captures the tragic reality of the Holocaust victims, whose bodies were often left in unmarked and forgotten places. The imagery of "rubble, water, sand graves, / In clenched cinders" evokes the chaotic and dehumanizing aftermath of war.

Hill juxtaposes this with the living who "grasp, roughly, the song." This suggests an attempt to understand and remember the horrors, albeit imperfectly. The "arrogant acceptance from which song derives / Is bedded with their blood, makes flourish young / Roots in ashes." Here, Hill speaks to the resilience and regeneration that can emerge from tragedy, yet it is intertwined with the blood of the victims, suggesting that such growth is not without its dark origins.

The line "The wilderness revives, / Deceives with sweetness harshness" captures the paradox of nature and memory. While nature continues to flourish, it can be deceivingly beautiful, masking the harsh realities that lie beneath. The "live skin stone breathes, about which fires but play," symbolizes the enduring spirit and the unyielding memory of the atrocities, suggesting that while the surface may seem calm, the underlying reality is far more complex and painful.

Hill’s reference to "Fierce heart that is the iced brain's to command / To judgment - studied reflex, contained breath" reflects the tension between emotion and intellect in confronting the past. The "best of worlds" emerging "since, on the ordained day, / This world came spinning from Jehovah's hand" ties the events to a divine plan, adding a layer of theological reflection on suffering and creation.

The second elegy shifts focus to the act of remembrance itself, pondering its efficacy and morality. Hill writes, "For all that must be gone through, their long death / Documented and safe, we have enough / Witnesses (our world being witness-proof)." This highlights the paradox of having extensive documentation and eyewitness accounts, yet the world remains indifferent or "witness-proof."

Hill contrasts this indifference with the everyday life of "the pushing midlanders" who "stand / To warm themselves; men, brawny with life, / Women who expect life." The juxtaposition of the mundane with the profound horror of the Holocaust underscores the disconnection between the past's atrocities and the present's complacency.

The rhetorical question, "Is it good to remind them, on a brief screen, / Of what they have witnessed and not seen?" challenges the effectiveness of visual reminders and memorials in truly conveying the depth of the Holocaust's horror. The "deaths of the city that persistently dies" suggests a cycle of destruction and forgetting, questioning the permanence and impact of memory.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the nature of sacrifice and remembrance: "To put up stones ensures some sacrifice. / Sufficient men confer, carry their weight. / (At whose door does the sacrifice stand or start?)." Hill implies that while memorials are erected and sacrifices are made, the true burden of memory and accountability remains ambiguous and perhaps unaddressed.

"Two Formal Elegies" is a powerful meditation on the Holocaust, memory, and the human condition. Hill's intricate language and vivid imagery compel the reader to confront the complexities of remembrance and the moral responsibilities that come with it. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the need for continuous reflection and the acknowledgment of history’s enduring scars.

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