Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Stanley Merwin's poem "Animals from Mountains" explores themes of childhood innocence, the mystical presence of animals, and the mysterious relationship between humans and nature. The poem's imagery and narrative create a dreamlike atmosphere, reflecting a child's perspective on the natural world and its hidden wonders.

The poem opens with the speaker recalling encounters with animals during childhood: "When I was small and stayed quiet some animals came / new ones each time and waited there near me." This setting suggests a time of innocence and wonder, where the child’s quietness attracts the presence of mysterious animals. These animals, appearing "new ones each time," bring a sense of novelty and enchantment.

The phrase "and all night they were eating the black" evokes a vivid, surreal image, hinting at the animals consuming darkness or existing within it. This line suggests a deeper, almost magical connection between the speaker and these nocturnal creatures. The repetition of "they knew me they knew me" emphasizes a mutual recognition and bond, creating an intimate and personal relationship with the natural world that goes unnoticed by others.

The animals' actions are subtle and secretive: "nobody saw them / I watched how they watched me they waited right there / nobody heard them talking laughing laughing." This sense of secrecy and invisibility reinforces the idea that these experiences are private and beyond the understanding of the adult world. The animals' laughter, unheard by others, symbolizes a hidden joy and communication shared only between the child and the creatures.

The narrative shifts as the speaker recounts journeys with the animals: "and we went out one time onto one mountain / all the way and nobody knew we went." This journey to a mountain suggests an adventure or exploration that is both literal and metaphorical. The mountain, a symbol of stability and permanence, mysteriously disappears the next day: "the next day the mountain was gone." This disappearance could symbolize the ephemeral nature of these mystical experiences or the transformative power of the child's imagination.

The pattern continues with visits to other mountains: "we went out onto two mountains we made no noise / no more noise than smoke nobody saw us far away / the next day those mountains were almost gone." The diminishing mountains represent the gradual fading of these magical encounters as the child grows or the increasing impact of these visits on the natural world.

The climax of the poem involves a visit to the speaker's "dead grandmother's mountain": "we went out / onto my dead grandmother's mountain there an old wind lives / that's never been away it lives on and on there alone." This mountain, associated with family heritage and memory, holds an eternal wind, suggesting a timeless, enduring presence. The disappearance of this mountain and the partial return of the visitors reflect a significant loss: "but the mountain's gone and some of us / never came back all the way." This could symbolize the irreversible impact of time and the loss of innocence.

"Animals from Mountains" by William Stanley Merwin is a lyrical and introspective poem that captures the mysterious and transformative experiences of childhood. Through its rich imagery and narrative, the poem explores the deep connection between the speaker and the natural world, highlighting themes of innocence, memory, and the ephemeral nature of magical moments. Merwin's use of surreal and mystical elements invites readers to reflect on their own encounters with nature and the lasting impact of childhood wonder.

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