Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser’s "Second Elegy: Age of Magicians" is a contemplative poem that juxtaposes the roles and characteristics of magicians and prophets, exploring themes of power, faith, vision, and the human condition in the modern age. Through vivid imagery and philosophical reflection, Rukeyser delves into the contrasts between the mystical allure of magicians and the humble, enduring nature of prophets.

The poem begins with a baroque night, an atmosphere heavy with clouds and the anticipation of a flash flood. This setting, filled with tension and potential chaos, is illuminated momentarily by the "lifting moonflare," hinting at transient moments of clarity amidst the tumult. Death is personified in various guises—a skier, an acrobat, and a nurse—suggesting the omnipresence and inevitability of mortality.

As "roads open black," the magicians make their entrance. They are depicted as seekers of "inward pleasure," their practices marked by "magnetic ecstasy" and "a trance of doom." The magician worships darkness, employing symbols of power and force—gongs, guns, the march-step, and the long cannon. This depiction emphasizes their alignment with control and manipulation, contrasting sharply with the prophets.

Prophets, in Rukeyser's view, live by faith rather than sight. They are described as visionary yet divided figures, akin to Cain, burdened by the weight of their insights and actions. Unlike magicians, prophets endure solitude and passivity, receiving calls in "midnight humility." Their role is to discern and separate truths, a task undertaken with reverence and without the desire for dominance.

Rukeyser highlights the prophets’ profound connection to light, positioning it as the index of prophecy. Light symbolizes knowledge, clarity, and the visible signatures of the world. This contrasts with the magicians' darkness, suggesting that true understanding and vision come from enduring the light, not manipulating the shadows.

The poem then shifts to a broader reflection on life and strength. Rukeyser questions whether life allows for the sustenance of strength, suggesting that those who give and protect life are nourished by it, while those who refuse it become consumed. This cyclical relationship underscores the interconnectedness of existence and the importance of embracing life fully.

Rukeyser’s portrayal of the modern age as the "age of magicians" is marked by immense barriers and mountains, symbolizing the challenges and obstacles humanity faces. She describes a series of scenes—men in a line, a discarded paper, a fast plane’s shadow, diplomats at a table, factories, and a chessboard—each representing different facets of societal and personal struggle. These images convey a sense of detachment and lack of inquiry into deeper meanings, suggesting a collective failure to seek restoration and understanding.

The climax of the poem arrives with a powerful declaration: "The word is war." Rukeyser predicts that the reader, the "avenger," holds the potential to restore balance and justice. The gruesome imagery of people’s limbs being cut but their voices and hearts continuing to ring out speaks to the resilience and enduring spirit of humanity, even in the face of brutal oppression.

The poem concludes with a call to action: to become the "Seer son of Sight, Hearer, of Ear, at last." This final exhortation emphasizes the need for true vision and understanding, urging the reader to embrace their role as a prophet rather than a magician. The imagery of the tree, "half green and half burning," symbolizes the duality of existence—life and death, creation and destruction—and the potential for renewal and restoration.

In "Second Elegy: Age of Magicians," Muriel Rukeyser weaves a rich tapestry of imagery and philosophical insight to explore the contrasts between magicians and prophets, darkness and light, and power and humility. The poem challenges the reader to reflect on their role in the world, urging a return to deeper inquiry, understanding, and the embrace of life’s enduring truths.

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