Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Geary Hobson’s "Central Highlands: Viet Nam, 1968" presents a powerful, multi-layered meditation on the violence of war, the cyclical nature of history, and the interconnectedness of disparate struggles across time and geography. Through vivid imagery and historical allusion, Hobson draws parallels between the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the violent colonization and displacement of Indigenous peoples in North America. The poem’s structure, divided into four distinct but interwoven sections, allows Hobson to move fluidly between specific historical references and universal reflections on war, loss, and the haunting persistence of memory.

The first section opens with the stark image of an eagle gliding over a plain where “mice scurry in a vortex / of smoke and blood.” The eagle, a traditional symbol of strength and freedom, often associated with the United States, is here implicated in a scene of destruction and chaos. The choice of the eagle as a central figure is deliberate; it represents not just a national symbol but also a predatory force, soaring above the devastation wrought on the ground. The “mice,” small and defenseless, symbolize the vulnerable civilian populations caught in the crossfire of larger, more powerful forces. The phrase “vortex of smoke and blood” conveys a sense of inescapable violence, a spiraling descent into chaos that consumes everything in its path.

As the eagle’s “wings dip, soar downward / in a clash / of fire / and upheaval / of earth and bone,” Hobson juxtaposes the natural elegance of flight with the brutal consequences of war. The eagle’s descent mirrors the dropping of bombs or the unleashing of military might, turning the act of soaring into a harbinger of destruction. The “upheaval of earth and bone” underscores the intimate connection between the land and the bodies of those who inhabit it, both disrupted and desecrated by conflict.

In the second section, Hobson invokes the name Dull Knife, a Northern Cheyenne chief known for his resistance against U.S. military forces in the 19th century. The line “You will die, Dull Knife, / and your people,” acknowledges the historical reality of Dull Knife’s eventual defeat and the suffering of his people. However, Hobson immediately complicates this narrative by extending its implications: “and your vanquisher’s descendants / will weep over their father’s deeds.” This line suggests a haunting legacy of guilt and regret that transcends generations. The victors of one era become the mourners of the next, as the consequences of conquest and violence reverberate through time. By referencing Dull Knife, Hobson links the atrocities committed against Native American communities to the violence perpetrated in Vietnam, emphasizing the recurring patterns of imperialism and resistance.

The third section shifts geographically to the mountains of Vietnam, where “The Meo people, too, / will pass / from this world in napalm flashes / and burnt-out hillsides.” The Meo, or Hmong people, were indigenous to the region and became embroiled in the Vietnam War, often caught between conflicting forces. Hobson’s use of “napalm flashes” and “burnt-out hillsides” vividly evokes the environmental and human devastation inflicted during the war. The phrase “and all that will be left / to give / will be / the helpless tears / of history future” captures the tragic inevitability of this destruction. The “helpless tears” suggest not only the immediate grief of those affected but also the sorrow of future generations who will look back on this period with a sense of loss and futility. Hobson frames history as a continuum of suffering, where the lessons of the past remain unheeded, and the cycle of violence continues.

The final section brings the poem full circle, returning to the image of the eagle: “The eagle flies blindly / into the smoke of his past.” This closing line encapsulates the poem’s central themes of historical amnesia and the self-destructive nature of imperial power. The eagle, once a symbol of vision and clarity, now flies “blindly,” unable to see the consequences of its actions or recognize the patterns of history it perpetuates. The “smoke of his past” suggests that the very forces of destruction unleashed by the eagle have clouded its ability to navigate, trapping it in an endless loop of violence and oblivion.

Structurally, Hobson’s poem employs a spare, direct style that heightens its emotional impact. The short, fragmented lines create a sense of urgency and fragmentation, mirroring the disorienting effects of war and trauma. The poem’s movement between different historical and geographical contexts underscores the universality of its message: the destructive impulses of empire, the suffering of the oppressed, and the enduring scars of violence are not confined to a single time or place but are woven into the fabric of human history.

Hobson’s "Central Highlands: Viet Nam, 1968" is a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness of global struggles against oppression and the persistent echoes of historical violence. By drawing parallels between the U.S. military’s actions in Vietnam and the earlier displacement of Indigenous peoples in North America, Hobson challenges readers to confront the cyclical nature of imperialism and the enduring consequences of war. The poem’s closing image of the blind eagle serves as a powerful indictment of nations that, in their pursuit of power, fail to learn from the past, perpetuating cycles of destruction that ultimately consume both the conqueror and the conquered.

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