Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Stanley Merwin’s poem “Carol of the Three Kings” is a contemplative and mystical exploration of the passage of time, the blending of day and night, and the spiritual journey of seeking comfort and understanding. Through rich imagery and a lyrical structure, Merwin delves into themes of human frailty, the cyclical nature of existence, and the transcendence of spiritual moments.

The poem opens with a reflection on past dreams: “How long ago we dreamed / Evening and the human / Step in the quiet groves / And the prayer we said.” This sets a nostalgic and reflective tone, evoking memories of peaceful, sacred moments spent in contemplation and prayer. The “quiet groves” suggest a natural, serene setting where human steps are gentle and mindful, and the prayer is a plea for guidance and comfort: “Walk upon the darkness, / Words of the lord, / Contain the night, the dead / And here comfort us.”

Merwin then moves to a state of uncertainty and disorientation: “We have been a shadow / Many nights moving, / Swaying many nights / Between yes and no.” The imagery of shadows and swaying between yes and no captures the human condition of indecision and ambiguity, caught between opposing forces and unable to find clear direction. This sense of blindness is further emphasized: “We have been blindness / Between sun and moon / Coaxing the time / For a doubtful star.” The doubtful star represents a faint glimmer of hope or guidance that is uncertain and elusive.

The poem shifts to a moment of surrender and forgetting: “Now we cease, we forget / Our reasons, our city, / The sun, the perplexed day.” This forgetfulness extends to all aspects of daily life and labor: “Noon, the irksome labor, / The flushed dream, the way, / Even the dark beasts, / Even our shadows.” The act of forgetting becomes a release from the burdens and complexities of life, allowing the speakers to focus on the present moment and the spiritual significance of the night.

Merwin contrasts material gifts with spiritual fulfillment: “In this night and day / All gifts are nothing: / What is frankincense / Where all sweetness is?” The rhetorical question underscores the insignificance of physical offerings when compared to the profound sweetness of spiritual presence. The speakers, who once followed in “the night’s confusion,” now find themselves kneeling in humility and awe: “Kneel and forget our feet / Who the cold way came.”

The presence of divine beings is invoked: “Now in the darkness / After the deep song / Walk among the branches / Angels of the lord.” These angels are depicted as bringing peace and quiet to the world: “Over earth and child / Quiet the boughs.” The imagery suggests a gentle, nurturing presence that watches over and protects.

The poem ends with questions that reflect a blend of confusion and awakening: “Now shall we sing or pray? / Where has the night gone? / Who remembers day?” These questions highlight the disorientation of moving between night and day, the sacred and the mundane. The speakers recognize their humanity and their awakened state: “We are breath and human / And awake have seen / All birth and burial / Merge and fall away.” This merging of life and death, and the fleeting nature of existence, are central to the poem’s reflection on time and spirituality.

The final lines, “Seen heaven that extends / To comfort all the night, / We have felt morning move / The grove of a few hands,” suggest a connection to the divine that transcends the temporal world. The comfort of heaven and the touch of morning light symbolize a renewal of hope and spiritual awakening.

“Carol of the Three Kings” is a profound meditation on the human journey through uncertainty and the search for spiritual solace. Merwin’s use of evocative imagery and lyrical language creates a contemplative atmosphere that invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of doubt, forgetting, and the quest for comfort and understanding in the face of life’s mysteries. Through this poem, Merwin captures the essence of spiritual seeking and the fleeting yet profound moments of clarity and peace that can be found along the way.

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