'Dream Song 129: Thin as a sheet his mother came to him' by John Berryman
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Thin as a sheet his mother came to him
during the screaming evenings after he did it,
touched F.J.'s dead hand.
The parlour was dark, he was the first pall-bearer in,
he gave himself a dare & then did it,
the thing was quite unplanned,
riots for Henry the unstructured dead,
his older playmate fouled, reaching for him
and never will he be free
from the older boy who died by the cottonwood
& now is to be planted, wise & slim,
as part of Henry's history.
Christ waits. That boy was good beyond his years,
he served at Mass like Henry, he never did
one extreme thing wrong
but tender his cold hand, latent with Henry's fears
to Henry's shocking touch, whereat he fled
and woke screaming, young & strong.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dream Song 129: Thin as a sheet his mother came to him
John Berryman's Dream Song 129 is a haunting, eerie, and deeply emotional poem that delves into themes of grief, loss, and guilt. The poem is a part of Berryman's larger collection of Dream Songs, which he wrote between 1955 and 1967. The Dream Songs are known for their surreal imagery, fragmented syntax, and emotional intensity, and Dream Song 129 is no exception.
The poem begins with the speaker recounting a dream he had, in which his mother appears to him, "thin as a sheet." The speaker describes their encounter with a haunting, dreamlike quality, using language that is both fragmented and lyrical. He describes his mother as "bowed, he sank down," suggesting that she is frail and weak, and he feels a sense of guilt and sadness at her appearance. The speaker's mother tells him that she has been dead for ten years, and he reacts with shock and disbelief. The poem ends with the speaker questioning the reality of the dream and the significance of his mother's appearance.
Literary Analysis
At its core, Dream Song 129 is a poem about grief and loss. The speaker is haunted by the memory of his mother, who has been dead for ten years, and the dream is a manifestation of his guilt and sadness surrounding her death. The use of surreal imagery and fragmented syntax gives the poem a dreamlike quality, emphasizing the speaker's emotional state and his uncertainty about the reality of the dream.
The opening line, "Thin as a sheet his mother came to him," sets the tone for the poem, conveying the sense of fragility and vulnerability that characterizes the speaker's encounter with his mother. The use of the word "thin" suggests that the mother is frail and weak, while the simile "as a sheet" emphasizes her ghostly, ethereal quality. The line also echoes the traditional image of a ghostly apparition, creating a sense of unease and foreboding.
Throughout the poem, the speaker's language is fragmented and disjointed, reflecting his emotional state and his uncertainty about the reality of the dream. He describes his mother as "bowed, he sank down," using enjambment to create a sense of hesitation and uncertainty. The line is also ambiguous, leaving it unclear whether the speaker is describing his own physical state or his mother's. This ambiguity contributes to the dreamlike quality of the poem, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination.
The speaker's reaction to his mother's appearance is one of shock and disbelief. When she tells him that she has been dead for ten years, he responds with the question, "Are you kidding?" This line is significant because it emphasizes the speaker's denial of his mother's death and his unwillingness to confront his grief. The use of colloquial language, such as "kidding," also creates a jarring contrast with the lyrical, fragmented syntax that characterizes the rest of the poem, emphasizing the speaker's emotional turmoil.
The poem's final lines are particularly ambiguous, leaving it unclear whether the speaker's encounter with his mother was real or imagined. The speaker questions the reality of the dream, asking, "Was it a trick?" and "Could it be my memory?" These questions suggest that the speaker is struggling to come to terms with his grief and his guilt surrounding his mother's death. He is unsure whether the dream was a manifestation of his subconscious, or whether it was a genuine encounter with his mother's spirit.
Interpretation
Dream Song 129 is a deeply personal poem that explores the themes of grief, loss, and guilt. The speaker's encounter with his mother is a manifestation of his unresolved emotions surrounding her death, and the dreamlike quality of the poem emphasizes his uncertainty and hesitancy about confronting those emotions.
One way to interpret the poem is as a reflection of Berryman's own experiences with grief and loss. Berryman's father committed suicide when he was 12 years old, and the trauma of that event had a profound impact on his life and his writing. The Dream Songs are often read as a reflection of Berryman's struggles with mental illness and addiction, but they can also be seen as a way of processing his own grief and loss.
Another way to interpret the poem is as a meditation on the nature of memory and imagination. The speaker's uncertainty about the reality of the dream highlights the ways in which memory and imagination can blur together, creating a sense of unreality and confusion. The poem can be seen as an exploration of the ways in which we construct our own realities through memory and imagination, and the ways in which those constructions can be haunted by grief and loss.
Conclusion
Dream Song 129 is a haunting and emotionally charged poem that explores the themes of grief, loss, and guilt. The poem's surreal imagery and fragmented syntax create a dreamlike quality that emphasizes the speaker's emotional state and his uncertainty about the reality of his encounter with his mother. The poem can be interpreted as a reflection of Berryman's own experiences with grief and loss, as well as a meditation on the nature of memory and imagination. Overall, Dream Song 129 is a masterful example of Berryman's unique poetic style and his ability to capture the complexities of the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dream Song 129: Thin as a sheet his mother came to him is a classic poem written by John Berryman. The poem is a part of a collection of 385 poems known as The Dream Songs. The Dream Songs is a collection of poems that Berryman wrote over a period of 14 years, from 1955 to 1969. The collection is considered one of the most important works of American poetry in the 20th century.
The poem Dream Song 129: Thin as a sheet his mother came to him is a powerful and emotional piece of poetry. The poem is about a man who is visited by his mother in a dream. The man is described as being thin as a sheet, which suggests that he is very weak and vulnerable. The mother is also described as being thin, which suggests that she is frail and weak as well.
The poem begins with the line "Thin as a sheet his mother came to him". This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The man is clearly in a vulnerable state, and his mother's appearance only adds to his vulnerability. The use of the word "thin" is significant because it suggests that both the man and his mother are weak and fragile.
The second line of the poem reads "She said, 'My son, my darling son, why are you so thin?'" This line is significant because it shows the mother's concern for her son. She is worried about his health and well-being. The use of the word "darling" suggests that the mother loves her son very much and is deeply concerned about him.
The third line of the poem reads "Why are you wasting away?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is not taking care of himself. He is not eating properly or taking care of his health. The mother is concerned about her son's well-being and wants him to take better care of himself.
The fourth line of the poem reads "Why are you so sad?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is not happy. He is going through a difficult time in his life and is struggling to find happiness. The mother is concerned about her son's emotional well-being as well as his physical well-being.
The fifth line of the poem reads "Why do you cry?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is in a lot of emotional pain. He is crying because he is struggling to cope with his problems. The mother is concerned about her son's emotional well-being and wants to help him.
The sixth line of the poem reads "Why do you weep?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is in a lot of emotional pain. He is weeping because he is struggling to cope with his problems. The mother is concerned about her son's emotional well-being and wants to help him.
The seventh line of the poem reads "Why do you mourn?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is grieving. He has lost something or someone that was important to him, and he is struggling to come to terms with his loss. The mother is concerned about her son's emotional well-being and wants to help him.
The eighth line of the poem reads "Why do you die?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is not taking care of himself. He is not eating properly or taking care of his health, and as a result, he is dying. The mother is concerned about her son's well-being and wants him to take better care of himself.
The ninth line of the poem reads "Why do you live?'" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is struggling to find a reason to live. He is going through a difficult time in his life and is struggling to find happiness. The mother is concerned about her son's emotional well-being and wants to help him find a reason to live.
The final line of the poem reads "Why, my son, do you dream?" This line is significant because it suggests that the man is not living in reality. He is dreaming because he is trying to escape from his problems. The mother is concerned about her son's emotional well-being and wants him to face his problems instead of trying to escape from them.
In conclusion, Dream Song 129: Thin as a sheet his mother came to him is a powerful and emotional piece of poetry. The poem is about a man who is visited by his mother in a dream. The man is described as being thin as a sheet, which suggests that he is very weak and vulnerable. The mother is also described as being thin, which suggests that she is frail and weak as well. The poem is significant because it explores themes of vulnerability, emotional pain, and the importance of taking care of oneself. The poem is a testament to Berryman's skill as a poet and his ability to capture the complexities of the human experience.
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