'A Postcard From The Volcano' by Wallace Stevens
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Children picking up our bones
Will never know that these were once
As quick as foxes on the hill;
And that in autumn, when the grapes
Made sharp air sharper by their smell
These had a being, breathing frost;
And least will guess that with our bones
We left much more, left what still is
The look of things, left what we felt
At what we saw. The spring clouds blow
Above the shuttered mansion-house,
Beyond our gate and the windy sky
Cries out a literate despair.
We knew for long the mansion's look
And what we said of it became
A part of what it is . . . Children,
Still weaving budded aureoles,
Will speak our speech and never know,
Will say of the mansion that it seems
As if he that lived there left behind
A spirit storming in blank walls,
A dirty house in a gutted world,
A tatter of shadows peaked to white,
Smeared with the gold of the opulent sun.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Postcard From The Volcano: A Masterpiece of Poetic Imagination
Wallace Stevens, one of the most eminent modern poets, is a master of poetic imagination. His poetry is known for its philosophical depth, creative imagery, and musicality of language. Among his many works, "A Postcard From The Volcano" stands out as a masterpiece that showcases the poet's unique style and vision.
The poem was first published in 1936, in Stevens' collection of poems, "Ideas of Order." It is a complex and multifaceted work that deals with themes of time, memory, and the human condition. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the various layers of meaning in the poem and shed light on its significance as a work of art.
The Poem
Let's start by examining the poem itself. Here is the full text of "A Postcard From The Volcano":
Children picking up our bones
Will never know that these were once
As quick as foxes on the hill;
And that in autumn, when the grapes
Made sharp air sharper by their smell
These had a being, breathing frost;
And least will guess that with our bones
We left much more, left what still is
The look of things, left what we felt
At what we saw. The spring clouds blow
Above the shuttered mansion house,
Beyond our gate and the windy sky
Cries out a literate despair.
We knew for long the mansion's look
And what we said of it became
A part of what it is... Children,
Still weaving budded aureoles,
Will speak our speech and never know,
Will say of the mansion that it seems
As if he that lived there left behind
A spirit storming in blank walls,
A dirty house in a gutted world,
A tatter of shadows peaked to white,
Smeared with the gold of the opulent sun.
At first glance, the poem may seem cryptic and enigmatic. The language is rich and evocative, with vivid images and metaphors that invite interpretation. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with its own distinct tone and mood.
Stanza 1
The first stanza presents an eerie image of children picking up bones. The opening line is striking and immediately captures the reader's attention. The use of the word "bones" suggests death and decay, and the fact that children are picking them up adds a sense of innocence and vulnerability.
The next line is equally intriguing: "Will never know that these were once / As quick as foxes on the hill." This line introduces the theme of time and memory. The bones, which are now lifeless, were once a part of living, breathing beings who were as quick as foxes. The image is both haunting and beautiful, and it sets the tone for the rest of the poem.
The final two lines of the stanza further develop the theme of memory. The speaker reflects on the fact that the children picking up the bones will never know the full story of what happened. They will never know that the bones belonged to people who had a rich and complex history, who experienced joy and pain, and who left behind a legacy that goes beyond their physical remains.
Stanza 2
The second stanza shifts the focus to the past. The speaker describes a time in autumn when the air was made sharper by the smell of grapes. This image is both sensual and nostalgic, evoking a sense of longing for a past that is now gone.
The speaker then reflects on the fact that even in that moment, when the grapes were fresh and the air was sharp, the people who were now bones had a sense of being. They were alive, and they were breathing frost. This image is both beautiful and melancholic, suggesting a sense of loss and longing for something that can never be regained.
The final two lines of the stanza return to the theme of memory. The speaker acknowledges that even though the bones are now all that remain, there is much more to the story. The people who left these bones behind also left behind a legacy of their experiences and feelings. The look of things and the emotions they felt at what they saw still linger on, even though the physical bodies are gone.
Stanza 3
The final stanza of the poem is the most enigmatic and challenging to interpret. The speaker shifts the focus to a mansion house, which is described as shuttered. The use of the word "shuttered" suggests that the house is abandoned or unoccupied, and the fact that it is described as a mansion suggests that it was once grand and opulent.
The final four lines of the stanza are particularly puzzling. The speaker describes a "windy sky / Cries out a literate despair," which suggests a sense of hopelessness or sadness. The next two lines describe the speaker's familiarity with the mansion's look and how their words about it have become a part of what it is. This suggests that the speaker has a deep connection to the mansion and that their words have somehow shaped its identity.
The final two lines of the poem are especially challenging to interpret. The speaker suggests that even though the children who come after will never know the full story of the bones, they will still speak the speaker's speech. The children will say of the mansion that it seems like the person who lived there left behind a spirit storming in blank walls, a dirty house in a gutted world, and a tatter of shadows peaked to white, smeared with the gold of the opulent sun.
These final lines are both haunting and beautiful, suggesting a sense of loss and longing for something that can never be regained. The mansion, like the bones, is a symbol of the past, and the speaker's words about it have become a part of its identity, even though the physical reality has long since disappeared.
Interpretation
So what does all of this mean? What is the poem trying to say, and what is its significance as a work of art?
At its core, "A Postcard From The Volcano" is a meditation on time, memory, and the human condition. The bones and the mansion are both symbols of the past, and the speaker's words about them are a testament to the power of memory and imagination.
The poem suggests that even though the physical reality of the past is gone, the memories and emotions that it evokes are still very real. The people who left behind the bones and the mansion may be gone, but their legacy lives on in the memories and imaginations of those who come after.
The poem is also a commentary on the nature of language and the power of words. The speaker's words about the mansion have become a part of its identity, shaping how future generations will see it. This suggests that language is not just a tool for communication, but also a powerful force that can shape how we perceive the world around us.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "A Postcard From The Volcano" is a masterpiece of poetic imagination. Through its rich imagery, complex metaphors, and musicality of language, the poem explores themes of time, memory, and the human condition. It is a testament to the power of memory and imagination, and a commentary on the nature of language and its ability to shape our perception of the world.
As a work of art, the poem is both haunting and beautiful, and it invites endless interpretation and reflection. It is a testament to the genius of Wallace Stevens and his unique vision of the world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Postcard From The Volcano: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry
Wallace Stevens, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, is known for his complex and enigmatic poems that explore the nature of reality, perception, and imagination. His poem "A Postcard From The Volcano" is a prime example of his unique style and vision, which combines vivid imagery, philosophical insights, and musical language to create a rich and multi-layered work of art.
At first glance, "A Postcard From The Volcano" seems like a simple and straightforward poem, consisting of four stanzas of equal length and a regular rhyme scheme. The speaker of the poem, who is not identified, describes a scene of destruction and chaos caused by a volcanic eruption, which has turned a peaceful landscape into a "blackened ruin" and "a waste of ashes." The speaker then reflects on the transience of human life and the inevitability of death, using the metaphor of the volcano as a symbol of both destruction and creation, of death and rebirth.
However, as we delve deeper into the poem, we discover that there is much more to it than meets the eye. Stevens, who was a master of symbolism and allusion, has packed "A Postcard From The Volcano" with a wealth of literary, cultural, and philosophical references, which enrich and complicate its meaning. Let us explore some of these references and their significance in the poem.
The first stanza of the poem sets the scene of the volcanic eruption, which is described in vivid and dramatic terms:
"Children picking up our bones Will never know that these were once As quick as foxes on the hill"
The image of children picking up bones suggests a post-apocalyptic world, where the survivors are scavenging for the remains of the dead. The phrase "As quick as foxes on the hill" is a reference to a line from Shakespeare's play Macbeth, where the witches describe their familiars as "Graymalkin" and "Paddock," who are "As quick as spirit / And as light as a bird." This allusion to Macbeth, which is a play about ambition, guilt, and the corrupting influence of power, adds a layer of complexity to the poem, suggesting that the volcanic eruption is not just a natural disaster, but also a metaphor for human folly and hubris.
The second stanza of the poem shifts the focus from the external world to the internal world of the speaker, who reflects on the fragility and impermanence of human life:
"And since we are dead men, Our thoughts have left the world and gone Behind the hill, into the silver dome, Into the silver eternity."
The phrase "silver dome" is a reference to the dome of the sky, which is often associated with the heavens and the afterlife. The use of the word "silver" suggests a sense of purity and transcendence, as if the speaker's thoughts have transcended the earthly realm and entered a higher plane of existence. The phrase "silver eternity" echoes the title of one of Stevens' most famous poems, "The Idea of Order at Key West," which explores the relationship between language, music, and the imagination. This allusion to his own work suggests that Stevens is not just reflecting on his own mortality, but also on the nature of poetry and its ability to transcend time and space.
The third stanza of the poem returns to the scene of the volcanic eruption, which is now described in more detail:
"The hillside blushing, covered with ash, With our torn limbs and our blood, Gives tongue to our iced cries, The soil is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod."
The phrase "hillside blushing" is a striking image, which suggests a sense of shame or embarrassment on the part of the landscape, as if it is complicit in the destruction that has taken place. The use of the word "blushing" also suggests a sense of vulnerability and sensitivity, as if the landscape is capable of feeling pain and suffering. The phrase "our iced cries" is a reference to Dante's Inferno, where the souls of the damned are frozen in ice and can only express their agony through silent tears. This allusion to Dante, who is considered one of the greatest poets of all time, adds a sense of gravitas and depth to the poem, suggesting that Stevens is not just reflecting on his own mortality, but also on the human condition as a whole.
The fourth and final stanza of the poem brings together the various themes and motifs of the poem, culminating in a powerful and poignant conclusion:
"Not that the earth is cold, Or we would cease to care. But we are the sacrifices, The lamps, the revellers, ourselves, and there The chariots of the bramble queen."
The phrase "the earth is cold" is a reference to the final lines of Shakespeare's play Cymbeline, where the character Posthumus says, "Fear no more the heat o' the sun / Nor the furious winter's rages; / Thou thy worldly task hast done, / Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages." This allusion to Shakespeare, who is considered the greatest writer in the English language, adds a sense of resonance and universality to the poem, suggesting that Stevens is not just reflecting on his own mortality, but also on the human condition as a whole.
The phrase "the chariots of the bramble queen" is a reference to a passage from the Greek myth of the goddess Demeter, who is associated with the harvest and the cycle of life and death. In the myth, Demeter's daughter Persephone is abducted by the god of the underworld, Hades, and taken to the realm of the dead. Demeter, in her grief and anger, causes the earth to wither and die, until Zeus intervenes and arranges for Persephone to spend half the year in the underworld and half the year on earth. The phrase "the chariots of the bramble queen" suggests a sense of cyclical renewal and regeneration, as if the volcanic eruption is not just a destructive force, but also a creative one, which will eventually give rise to new life and growth.
In conclusion, "A Postcard From The Volcano" is a masterpiece of modern poetry, which combines vivid imagery, philosophical insights, and musical language to create a rich and multi-layered work of art. Stevens' use of symbolism, allusion, and metaphor adds depth and complexity to the poem, inviting the reader to explore its many meanings and interpretations. The poem is a meditation on the transience of human life, the inevitability of death, and the cyclical nature of existence, which resonates with readers of all ages and cultures. Stevens' legacy as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century is secure, and "A Postcard From The Volcano" is a shining example of his unique and visionary style.
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