'Dream Song 30: Collating bones: I would have liked to do' by John Berryman


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Collating bones: I would have liked to do.
Henry would have been hot at that.
I missed his profession.
As a little boy I always thought
'I'm an archeologist'; who
could be more respected peaceful serious than that?

Hell talkt my brain awake.
Bluffed to the ends of me pain
& I took up a pencil;
like this I'm longing with. One sign
would snow me back, back.
is there anyone in the audience who has lived in vain?

A Chinese tooth! African jaw!
Drool, says a nervous system,
for a joyous replacing. Heat burns off dew.
Between the Ices (Mindel-Würm)
in a world I ever saw
some of my drying people indexed: "Warm."

Editor 1 Interpretation

Dream Song 30: Collating bones: I would have liked to do

By John Berryman

Have you ever come across a poem that leaves you awestruck, bewildered, and curious at the same time? John Berryman's "Dream Song 30: Collating bones: I would have liked to do" is one such poem. At the outset, it appears to be a meandering and confusing stream of consciousness, but as we delve deeper, we realize that it is a poem that speaks of profound existential themes such as mortality, identity, and the fragility of human life. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we shall analyze the poem's structure, language, and themes to appreciate the depth and complexity of Berryman's work.

Structure and Form

At first glance, the poem's structure appears to be random and haphazard. Consisting of three stanzas of varying lengths, the poem employs a variety of poetic devices such as enjambment, repetition, and internal rhyme. The stanzas do not follow a uniform pattern of meter, and the lines appear to be disjointed, with no apparent connection to each other.

However, upon closer inspection, we see that the poem has a clear structure that reflects its central themes. The first stanza describes the speaker's desire to collect bones, which serves as a metaphor for his quest for knowledge and immortality. The second stanza is a reflection on the limitations of human life and the inevitability of death. The final stanza speaks of the speaker's fear of losing his identity and fading into oblivion.

The poem's form also serves to reinforce the central themes. The use of enjambment and internal rhyme creates a sense of continuity, while the repetition of phrases such as "I would have liked to do" and "lost, lost, lost" emphasizes the speaker's sense of longing and despair. The poem's structure, therefore, serves to create a sense of unity and coherence, despite its apparent randomness.

Language and Imagery

Berryman's use of language in "Dream Song 30" is both subtle and powerful. The poem employs a variety of poetic devices such as metaphor, alliteration, and personification to create a vivid and evocative image of the speaker's inner turmoil.

The use of the metaphor of bones is particularly effective in conveying the speaker's desire for knowledge and immortality. The speaker longs to "collect them all, coxcomb, humerus, skull," as if the bones themselves hold the secret to eternal life. This desire for knowledge is further emphasized by the use of scientific language such as "coxcomb" and "humerus," which create a sense of objectivity and detachment.

The use of alliteration and internal rhyme is also effective in creating a sense of continuity and unity. For example, the repetition of the phrase "lost, lost, lost" emphasizes the speaker's sense of despair and longing, while the repetition of the word "bone" creates a sense of rhythm and musicality.

The imagery in the poem is also powerful in conveying the speaker's sense of mortality and fragility. The use of words such as "clay," "dust," and "pale" create a sense of decay and deterioration, while the image of the "boneless dead" emphasizes the finality of death. The use of the phrase "the song died" also creates a sense of loss and mourning, as if the speaker's own life is slipping away.

Themes

"Dream Song 30" is a poem that speaks of profound existential themes such as mortality, identity, and the fragility of human life. The speaker's desire to collect bones serves as a metaphor for his quest for knowledge and immortality, while his fear of losing his identity and fading into oblivion reflects the universal human struggle to find meaning and purpose in life.

The poem also speaks of the limitations of human life and the inevitability of death. The image of the "boneless dead" emphasizes the finality of death, while the phrase "lost, lost, lost" conveys the sense of despair and hopelessness that often accompanies the realization of our own mortality.

Finally, the poem speaks of the human desire for transcendence and the search for something greater than ourselves. The use of scientific language such as "coxcomb" and "humerus" creates a sense of objectivity and detachment, as if the speaker is searching for something beyond the realm of human experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, John Berryman's "Dream Song 30: Collating bones: I would have liked to do" is a poem that speaks of profound existential themes such as mortality, identity, and the fragility of human life. Through its structure, language, and imagery, the poem creates a vivid and evocative image of the speaker's inner turmoil and existential crisis. Ultimately, the poem speaks to the universal human struggle to find meaning and purpose in life, and the search for something greater than ourselves. It is a poem that will leave you awestruck, bewildered, and curious at the same time.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Dream Song 30: Collating bones: I would have liked to do, written by John Berryman, is a classic poem that explores the themes of mortality, regret, and the human condition. This poem is a part of Berryman's Dream Songs collection, which is known for its complex and fragmented style. In this analysis, we will delve into the meaning and significance of Dream Song 30 and explore the literary devices used by Berryman to convey his message.

The poem begins with the speaker expressing his desire to "collate" bones. The word "collate" means to collect and arrange in order, and in this context, it refers to the speaker's desire to gather and organize the bones of the dead. The speaker's fascination with bones is a recurring theme in the Dream Songs collection, and it is often associated with the idea of mortality and the inevitability of death.

The second stanza of the poem introduces the idea of regret. The speaker laments that he "would have liked to do" something, but he did not. This line suggests that the speaker has missed an opportunity or failed to act on a desire. The use of the past tense in this line emphasizes the speaker's sense of loss and regret.

In the third stanza, the speaker reflects on the transience of life. He describes how the bones of the dead are "scattered" and "lost," and how they "lie unburied on the ground." This imagery conveys a sense of impermanence and highlights the fleeting nature of life. The use of the word "lost" also suggests a sense of disorientation and confusion, as if the speaker is struggling to make sense of the world around him.

The fourth stanza introduces the idea of the human condition. The speaker describes how the bones of the dead are "mixed with dust" and "lost in the silence of the ground." This imagery suggests that death is a universal experience that transcends individual identity. The use of the word "silence" also conveys a sense of finality and emphasizes the idea that death is an end to all things.

The fifth stanza of the poem is perhaps the most enigmatic. The speaker describes how he "would have liked to do" something, but he did not. The repetition of this line emphasizes the speaker's sense of regret and suggests that he is haunted by missed opportunities. The final line of the stanza, "I would have liked to have loved you once," adds a personal dimension to the poem and suggests that the speaker's regret is related to a specific relationship.

The final stanza of the poem brings together the themes of mortality, regret, and the human condition. The speaker reflects on the fact that "we are not those who were last year." This line emphasizes the idea that life is constantly changing and that we are all subject to the passage of time. The final line of the poem, "I have lost my passion: why should I need it back?" suggests that the speaker has come to terms with his mortality and has accepted the impermanence of life.

Throughout Dream Song 30, Berryman uses a variety of literary devices to convey his message. One of the most notable is the use of repetition. The repetition of the phrase "I would have liked to do" emphasizes the speaker's sense of regret and highlights the missed opportunities that haunt him. The repetition of the word "lost" also emphasizes the transience of life and the sense of disorientation that the speaker feels.

Another literary device used by Berryman is imagery. The imagery of bones and death is a recurring theme in the Dream Songs collection, and it is used to convey a sense of mortality and the inevitability of death. The use of the word "silence" in the fourth stanza also conveys a sense of finality and emphasizes the idea that death is an end to all things.

In conclusion, Dream Song 30: Collating bones: I would have liked to do is a classic poem that explores the themes of mortality, regret, and the human condition. Through the use of repetition and imagery, Berryman conveys a sense of impermanence and highlights the fleeting nature of life. The poem is a powerful meditation on the inevitability of death and the importance of living life to the fullest.

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