Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

David Wagoner’s “Riverbed” is a haunting and deeply evocative poem that explores themes of natural cycles, mortality, and humanity?s intertwined relationship with the natural world. Through vivid imagery and a reflective tone, the poem traces the journey of salmon returning to their spawning grounds, juxtaposing their primal drive with human observation and introspection. The river serves as both a literal and symbolic setting, capturing the relentless passage of time and the universal struggle for renewal.

The poem opens with a dramatic depiction of the salmon’s arduous return upstream: “Through the salt mouth of the river / They come past the dangling mesh of gillnets / And the purse-mouthed seines.” Wagoner’s use of sensory-rich language situates the reader in a world of industry and nature colliding. The “gillnets” and “purse-mouthed seines” symbolize human interference, hinting at exploitation and disruption. Yet, despite these obstacles, the salmon continue their instinctual journey, driven by a force that transcends human understanding. The image of the “beheaded herring” spiraling against the tide creates a visceral contrast between the living and the dead, emphasizing the stakes of this natural migration.

The salmon’s journey is portrayed as both physical and existential. In the “flat mercurial calm of the pulp mills,” their movements are described as “groping / Half clear at last and rising like the stones below them.” This comparison between the salmon and the riverbed stones suggests a unity between the creatures and their environment. The salmon are not merely navigating the river; they are part of its essence, subject to the same relentless forces of nature. The reference to the “white rush from the mountains” evokes a sense of purity and renewal, as the salmon strive to return to their origins, a place “the one true holding place” that holds the promise of life even as it foretells their death.

The first section ends with a subtle shift in perspective, introducing human observers who share a connection to the salmon’s journey. “Out of our smoke and clangor, these miles uphill. / We come back to find them.” The industrial imagery of “smoke and clangor” contrasts sharply with the natural purity of the salmon’s world. Yet, the humans are drawn back, seeking the fish with “the same unreasoning hope.” This acknowledgment of shared instinct and purpose bridges the divide between humanity and nature, suggesting that the salmon’s journey mirrors human longings for continuity, purpose, and connection.

In the second section, the focus shifts to the river itself, described in vivid, tactile detail: “We walk on round stones, all flawlessly bedded. / Where water drags the cracked dome of the sky / Downstream a foot at a glance.” The river’s ceaseless motion reflects the passage of time, its current carrying not only water but also light, sky, and memory. The stones, described as “flawlessly bedded,” suggest a sense of permanence, yet the river’s ability to “turn its stones like a nesting bird” highlights the impermanence and ceaseless transformation inherent in nature.

The poem’s imagery grows more poignant as it captures the aftermath of the salmon’s struggle. “Now gulls and ravens / Turn to the salmon stranded among branches. / They lie in the clear shallows, the barely dead.” The juxtaposition of life and death is stark, as the salmon’s bodies become sustenance for other creatures. Even in death, the salmon fulfill their role within the larger ecosystem, their lives and efforts contributing to the cycle of life. The phrase “the barely dead” underscores the immediacy and rawness of this scene, blurring the line between the animate and inanimate.

The poem’s final image, “And we lie down all day beside them,” is both intimate and elegiac. This act of lying beside the salmon suggests a profound identification with their journey. The humans, like the salmon, are caught in the cycles of life, death, and renewal. By placing themselves physically and metaphorically alongside the salmon, the observers acknowledge their shared mortality and their place within the natural order.

Structurally, the poem is divided into two sections, each with its distinct focus yet united by the overarching theme of cyclical transformation. The first section traces the salmon’s upstream journey, emphasizing motion and struggle, while the second lingers on the riverbed, contemplating stasis and aftermath. This division mirrors the salmon’s life cycle, moving from action to rest, from striving to the inevitability of death.

In conclusion, “Riverbed” by David Wagoner is a richly layered meditation on the interconnectedness of life, death, and the natural world. Through its vivid imagery and reflective tone, the poem captures the beauty and brutality of the salmon’s journey, while drawing parallels to the human condition. Wagoner’s work reminds us of the fragile balance between permanence and impermanence, and of the shared instincts and cycles that bind all living beings to the flow of time and nature.

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