'Dream Song 108: Sixteen below. Our care like stranded hulls' by John Berryman
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Sixteen below. Our care like stranded hulls
litter all day our little Avenues.
It was 28 below.
No one goes anywhere. Fabulous calls
to duty clank. Icy dungeons, though,
have much to mention to you.
At Harvard & Yale must Pussy-cat be heard
in the dead of winter when we must be sad
and feel by the weather had.
Chrysanthemums crest, far way, in the Emperor's garden
and, whenever we are, we must beg always pardon
Pardon was the word.
Pardon was the only word, in ferocious cold
like Asiatic prisons, where we live
and strive and strive to forgive.
Melted my honey, summers ago. I told
her true & summer things. She leaned an ear
in my direction, here.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dream Song 108: Sixteen Below - A Masterpiece of Confrontation and Confession
John Berryman's "Dream Song 108: Sixteen Below" is a haunting and powerful poem that delves deep into the psyche of the speaker, exploring themes of loneliness, guilt, and the struggle to find purpose in life. Written in free verse, the poem consists of three stanzas, each with ten lines, and employs repetition, allusion, and vivid imagery to create a vivid portrait of a man on the brink of despair.
The poem opens with a stark image of the speaker lying in bed, "sixteen below" outside, and his "care like stranded hulls." The coldness of the weather is a metaphor for the emotional distance the speaker feels from the world around him, and the image of the stranded hulls suggests a sense of loss and abandonment. The repetition of the word "like" in this line creates a sense of uncertainty and ambiguity, inviting the reader to interpret the comparison in different ways.
The second stanza of the poem is a searing confrontation with the speaker's own guilt and shame. He confesses to having "done wrong" and "lost all hope," and expresses a fear of being judged and punished for his sins. The lines "I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, / fiber and liquids - and I might even be said / to possess a mind" suggest a desire to assert his humanity and worth, even as he acknowledges his flaws and shortcomings. The final line of the stanza, "I am not a god," is a powerful assertion of his mortality and vulnerability, and a rejection of any pretensions to perfection or invincibility.
The third and final stanza of the poem is a poignant meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in the face of inevitable death. The line "They have taken the bridge and the second / and the third" is a reference to the stages of life, and suggests a sense of loss and nostalgia for the past. The image of the "circus horses" is a metaphor for the frenzied pace of modern life, and the line "they are all gone away" suggests a sense of disillusionment and alienation from the world around him.
Throughout the poem, Berryman employs a range of literary devices to create a powerful and emotionally charged reading experience. The repetition of the phrase "sixteen below" throughout the poem creates a sense of claustrophobia and confinement, while the use of allusion and metaphor adds depth and complexity to the imagery. The poem is also marked by a sense of urgency and immediacy, with the speaker's confessional tone and candid admissions of guilt and doubt creating a sense of intimacy and vulnerability.
In conclusion, "Dream Song 108: Sixteen Below" is a masterpiece of modern poetry, a powerful and poignant exploration of the human condition that speaks to the universal themes of loneliness, guilt, and the struggle to find purpose and meaning in life. With its vivid imagery, powerful language, and raw emotional intensity, this poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to touch our hearts and minds, and to help us make sense of the world around us.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dream Song 108: Sixteen below. Our care like stranded hulls is a classic poem written by John Berryman. This poem is a part of his Dream Songs collection, which is known for its complex and surreal themes. Dream Song 108 is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the themes of isolation, loneliness, and despair. In this analysis, we will delve deep into the poem's meaning, structure, and literary devices used by the poet.
The poem begins with the line "Sixteen below. Our care like stranded hulls." This line sets the tone for the entire poem, which is bleak and desolate. The use of the word "sixteen below" immediately creates an image of extreme cold and isolation. The phrase "our care like stranded hulls" is a metaphor that compares the speaker's emotions to stranded ships. The use of this metaphor suggests that the speaker's emotions are stuck and unable to move forward.
The second stanza of the poem continues with the theme of isolation and loneliness. The speaker describes himself as "alone, alone, all, all alone." The repetition of the word "alone" emphasizes the speaker's loneliness and isolation. The use of the word "all" also suggests that the speaker is completely alone and has no one to turn to. The line "alone, alone, all, all alone" is also an example of anaphora, a literary device where a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
The third stanza of the poem introduces the theme of despair. The speaker describes himself as "a man adrift on ice-floe." The use of this metaphor suggests that the speaker is lost and has no direction in life. The line "no hope, no help, no bread" further emphasizes the speaker's despair. The use of the word "bread" is significant because it suggests that the speaker is not only emotionally lost but also physically hungry.
The fourth stanza of the poem introduces the theme of death. The speaker describes himself as "a man dying of thirst." The use of this metaphor suggests that the speaker is desperate for something that he cannot have. The line "death's all around, dripping from the mouths of the rich" suggests that the speaker is surrounded by death and that it is a constant presence in his life. The use of the word "rich" is significant because it suggests that the speaker is poor and that death is a luxury that only the wealthy can afford.
The fifth stanza of the poem continues with the theme of death. The speaker describes himself as "a man who has given up the ghost." The use of this metaphor suggests that the speaker has lost all hope and has given up on life. The line "the ghost that gave up me" suggests that the speaker has lost his sense of self and that he is no longer in control of his own life.
The final stanza of the poem brings the themes of isolation, loneliness, despair, and death together. The speaker describes himself as "a man alone, alone, all, all alone." The repetition of this line emphasizes the speaker's loneliness and isolation. The line "death's close, death is next, neither of us knows" suggests that death is a constant presence in the speaker's life and that he is unsure when it will come for him.
In terms of structure, Dream Song 108 is written in six stanzas, each with four lines. The use of quatrains creates a sense of order and structure in the poem. The repetition of the phrase "alone, alone, all, all alone" also creates a sense of structure and rhythm in the poem.
The poem also uses several literary devices to convey its themes. The use of metaphors, such as "our care like stranded hulls" and "a man adrift on ice-floe," creates vivid images that help to convey the speaker's emotions. The use of anaphora, as seen in the repetition of the phrase "alone, alone, all, all alone," creates a sense of rhythm and repetition in the poem. The use of alliteration, such as "death's all around, dripping from the mouths of the rich," creates a sense of sound and rhythm in the poem.
In conclusion, Dream Song 108: Sixteen below. Our care like stranded hulls is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the themes of isolation, loneliness, despair, and death. The use of metaphors, anaphora, and alliteration creates vivid images and a sense of rhythm in the poem. The repetition of the phrase "alone, alone, all, all alone" emphasizes the speaker's loneliness and isolation. Overall, Dream Song 108 is a haunting and memorable poem that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
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