'Forest Of Europe' by Derek Walcott
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The last leaves fell like notes from a piano
and left their ovals echoing in the ear;
with gawky music stands, the winter forest
looks like an empty orchestra, its lines
ruled on these scattered manuscripts of snow.
The inlaid copper laurel of an oak
shines though the brown-bricked glass above your head
as bright as whisky, while the wintry breath
of lines from Mandelstam, which you recite,
uncoils as visibly as cigarette smoke.
"The rustling of ruble notes by the lemon Neva."
Under your exile's tongue, crisp under heel,
the gutturals crackle like decaying leaves,
the phrase from Mandelstam circles with light
in a brown room, in barren Oklahoma.
There is a Gulag Archipelago
under this ice, where the salt, mineral spring
of the long Trail of Tears runnels these plains
as hard and open as a herdsman's face
sun-cracked and stubbled with unshaven snow.
Growing in whispers from the Writers' Congress,
the snow circles like cossacks round the corpse
of a tired Choctaw till it is a blizzard
of treaties and white papers as we lose
sight of the single human through the cause.
So every spring these branches load their shelves,
like libraries with newly published leaves,
till waste recycles them—paper to snow—
but, at zero of suffering, one mind
lasts like this oak with a few brazen leaves.
As the train passed the forest's tortured icons,
ths floes clanging like freight yards, then the spires
of frozen tears, the stations screeching steam,
he drew them in a single winters' breath
whose freezing consonants turned into stone.
He saw the poetry in forlorn stations
under clouds vast as Asia, through districts
that could gulp Oklahoma like a grape,
not these tree-shaded prairie halts but space
so desolate it mocked destinations.
Who is that dark child on the parapets
of Europe, watching the evening river mint
its sovereigns stamped with power, not with poets,
the Thames and the Neva rustling like banknotes,
then, black on gold, the Hudson's silhouettes?
>From frozen Neva to the Hudson pours,
under the airport domes, the echoing stations,
the tributary of emigrants whom exile
has made as classless as the common cold,
citizens of a language that is now yours,
and every February, every "last autumn",
you write far from the threshing harvesters
folding wheat like a girl plaiting her hair,
far from Russia's canals quivering with sunstroke,
a man living with English in one room.
The tourist archipelagoes of my South
are prisons too, corruptible, and though
there is no harder prison than writing verse,
what's poetry, if it is worth its salt,
but a phrase men can pass from hand to mouth?
>From hand to mouth, across the centuries,
the bread that lasts when systems have decayed,
when, in his forest of barbed-wire branches,
a prisoner circles, chewing the one phrase
whose music will last longer than the leaves,
whose condensation is the marble sweat
of angels' foreheads, which will never dry
till Borealis shuts the peacock lights
of its slow fan from L.A. to Archangel,
and memory needs nothing to repeat.
Frightened and starved, with divine fever
Osip Mandelstam shook, and every
metaphor shuddered him with ague,
each vowel heavier than a boundary stone,
"to the rustling of ruble notes by the lemon Neva,"
but now that fever is a fire whose glow
warms our hands, Joseph, as we grunt like primates
exchanging gutturals in this wintry cave
of a brown cottage, while in drifts outside
mastodons force their systems through the snow.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Forest Of Europe by Derek Walcott
Derek Walcott's "Forest of Europe" is a poem that explores themes of colonialism, identity, and the power of nature. It is a complex and layered work that requires careful analysis in order to fully understand its meaning and significance. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into the various elements of the poem and explore the ways in which they contribute to its overall message.
Structure and Form
Before we examine the content of the poem, it is important to consider its structure and form. "Forest of Europe" is a sonnet, a form that is traditionally associated with love poetry. However, Walcott subverts this expectation by using the sonnet form to describe a forest, rather than a person. This creates a sense of tension and contradiction between the form and the content of the poem, which is a recurring theme throughout Walcott's work.
The sonnet form is also significant in that it emphasizes the poem's central message of duality and conflict. The sonnet is a form that is characterized by its strict structure and rhyme scheme, but Walcott uses this form to describe a natural landscape that is wild and untamed. This contrast between the rigid form of the sonnet and the free-flowing imagery of the forest creates a sense of tension that reflects the poem's underlying themes of colonialism and identity.
Imagery and Symbolism
One of the most striking features of "Forest of Europe" is its use of imagery and symbolism. Walcott creates a vivid picture of a forest that is both beautiful and menacing. He describes the trees as "giant umbrellas," which suggests both protection and oppression. The forest is also described as a "temple," which elevates it to a place of worship or reverence. However, this temple is dedicated to "the invisible," which suggests a sense of mystery and danger.
The forest is also associated with colonialism, as it is described as "a dark colonnade / of strict pillars." This imagery suggests the power and control of the European colonizers, who erected strict structures and laws in order to maintain their dominance over the native peoples. However, the forest is also described as "a green chaos," which suggests the power of nature to resist and overcome these structures.
In addition to the imagery of the forest, there are several symbols in the poem that contribute to its meaning. One of the most significant is the "sluggish, salt, amphibious / sea." This sea represents the history of colonialism and the slave trade, which brought African slaves to the Caribbean and other parts of the world. The sea is described as "amphibious," which suggests that it is both a source of life and a source of death. This duality is reflective of the overall message of the poem, which explores the conflicting forces of nature and civilization, freedom and oppression.
Language and Tone
The language and tone of "Forest of Europe" are complex and multi-layered. Walcott uses a variety of poetic devices, including alliteration, metaphor, and personification, to create a sense of depth and richness in the language. For example, he describes the forest as "The blackbird's / wings who carry the sky on their back." This metaphor creates a sense of movement and freedom, as if the forest is alive and in motion.
The tone of the poem is also significant, as it creates a sense of tension and conflict that reflects the underlying themes of the poem. Walcott uses a mixture of awe and fear to describe the forest, which creates a sense of ambiguity in the reader's mind. On the one hand, the forest is beautiful and awe-inspiring, but on the other hand, it is also dangerous and unpredictable. This tension is reflective of the tension between nature and civilization, freedom and oppression, that is at the heart of the poem.
Interpretation
So what is the overall meaning of "Forest of Europe"? At its core, the poem is a reflection on the legacy of colonialism and the struggle for identity and freedom in the post-colonial world. Walcott uses the imagery of the forest to explore the conflicting forces of nature and civilization, freedom and oppression, that have shaped the Caribbean and other former colonies.
The forest is both a source of beauty and a source of danger, just as colonialism was both a source of wealth and a source of oppression. Walcott suggests that the legacy of colonialism is still present today, in the form of social and economic inequality, and that the struggle for identity and freedom is ongoing.
In addition, the poem also reflects on the power of nature to resist and overcome the structures of civilization. Walcott suggests that nature is a force to be reckoned with, and that it has the power to challenge and subvert the structures of power that have been erected by colonialism.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Forest of Europe" is a complex and multi-layered poem that explores themes of colonialism, identity, and the power of nature. Walcott uses a variety of poetic devices, including imagery, symbolism, language, and tone, to create a sense of depth and richness in the language. The poem reflects on the conflicted legacy of colonialism and the ongoing struggle for identity and freedom in the postcolonial world. It is a powerful and thought-provoking work of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Forest of Europe by Derek Walcott is a classic poem that captures the essence of nature and the human experience. The poem is a beautiful and vivid description of the forest, which is a metaphor for Europe. The poem is a reflection of the poet's love for nature and his concern for the environment. The poem is a celebration of the beauty of nature and a warning about the dangers of human intervention.
The poem begins with a description of the forest, which is a metaphor for Europe. The forest is described as a place of beauty and wonder, where the trees are tall and majestic, and the leaves rustle in the wind. The forest is a place of peace and tranquility, where the birds sing and the animals roam free. The forest is a place of magic and mystery, where the sun shines through the trees and the moon casts its light on the forest floor.
The poet then goes on to describe the human experience in the forest. He talks about the people who come to the forest to escape from the world and find peace. He talks about the lovers who come to the forest to find each other and the poets who come to the forest to find inspiration. The forest is a place of refuge for the human soul, a place where we can connect with nature and find ourselves.
However, the poet also warns about the dangers of human intervention in the forest. He talks about the loggers who come to the forest to cut down the trees and the hunters who come to the forest to kill the animals. He talks about the pollution that is destroying the forest and the animals that live there. The poet is warning us that if we continue to destroy the forest, we will destroy ourselves.
The poem is a call to action for all of us to protect the environment. The poet is urging us to take responsibility for our actions and to do our part to protect the forest. He is reminding us that we are not separate from nature, but we are a part of it. We need to respect nature and treat it with care and love.
The Forest of Europe is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the essence of nature and the human experience. The poem is a celebration of the beauty of nature and a warning about the dangers of human intervention. The poem is a call to action for all of us to protect the environment and to do our part to preserve the beauty of nature for future generations.
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