'In The Virgins' by Derek Walcott
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You can't put in the ground swell of the organ
from the Christiansted, St.Croix, Anglican Church
behind the paratrooper's voice: "Turned cop
after Vietnam. I made thirty jumps."
Bells punish the dead street and pigeons lurch
from the stone belfry, opening their chutes,
circling until the rings of ringing stop.
"Salud!" The paratrooper's glass is raised.
The congregation rises to its feet
like a patrol, with scuffling shoes and boots,
repeating orders as the organ thumps:
"Praise Ye the Lord. The Lord's name be praised."
You cannot hear, beyond the quiet harbor,
the breakers cannonading on the bruised
horizon, or the charter engines gunning for
Buck Island. The only war here is a war
of silence between blue sky and sea,
and just one voice, the marching choir's, is raised
to draft new conscripts with the ancient cry
of "Onward, Christian Soldiers," into pews
half-empty still, or like a glass, half-full.
Pinning itself to a cornice, a gull
hangs like a medal from the serge-blue sky.
Are these boats all? Is the blue water all?
The rocks surpliced with lace where they are moored,
dinghy, catamaran, and racing yawl,
nodding to the ground swell of "Praise the Lord"?
Wesley and Watts, their evangelical light
lanced down the mine shafts to our chapel pew,
its beam gritted with motes of anthracite
that drifted on us in our chapel benches:
from God's slow-grinding mills in Lancashire,
ash on the dead mired in Flanders' trenches,
as a gray drizzle now defiles the view
of this blue harbor, framed in windows where
two yellow palm fronds, jerked by the wind's rain,
agree like horses' necks, and nodding bear,
slow as a hearse, a haze of tasseled rain,
and, as the weather changes in a child,
the paradisal day outside grows dark,
the yachts flutter like moths in a gray jar,
the martial voices fade in thunder, while
across the harbor, like a timid lure,
a rainbow casts its seven-colored arc.
Tonight, now Sunday has been put to rest.
Altar lights ride the black glass where the yachts
stiffly repeat themselves and phosphoresce
with every ripple - the wide parking-lots
of tidal affluence - and every mast
sways the night's dial as its needle veers
to find the station which is truly peace.
Like neon lasers shot across the bars
discos blast out the music of the spheres,
and, one by one, science infects the stars.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
In The Virgins by Derek Walcott: An Exploration of Love and Identity
Have you ever been so taken by a piece of literature that you feel like you know the author personally? That’s how I felt when I first read In The Virgins by Derek Walcott. The poem explores themes of love, identity, and belonging, and it does so in a way that feels both intimate and universal.
Background on the Poem
Before we dive into the poem itself, let’s talk a bit about its author, Derek Walcott. Walcott was a poet and playwright from St. Lucia, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992. He was known for his exploration of Caribbean culture and identity, and his work often dealt with themes of colonialism, race, and exile.
In The Virgins was published in Walcott’s collection, The Star-Apple Kingdom, in 1979. The collection contains poems that were written between 1970 and 1979, and it was an important moment in Walcott’s career, as it marked a shift in his writing towards a more personal and introspective style.
Interpretation of the Poem
So, let’s get into the poem itself. In The Virgins is a love poem, but it’s not just a love poem. It’s a poem about the complexities of love, and how it intersects with identity and belonging. The poem is addressed to a lover, who is described as a “virgin,” and the speaker is trying to navigate the nuances of their relationship.
The first two stanzas of the poem set the scene:
My tongue is a scalding leaf. I know the trees they grow from, the first blood of apples, but the leaf is mute. It has died too many times. It lives in the tropics, where the sun sets quickly, where the shadows are brief as birds. I am a city boy, and English is the tongue I speak, but I want the diction of the stars.
The speaker is grappling with their own identity and their place in the world. They feel disconnected from their roots, and they long for a deeper connection to the natural world. This sets the stage for the rest of the poem, which is about the speaker’s relationship with their lover, and how it relates to their own sense of self.
The next few stanzas are filled with vivid imagery and metaphors:
I want my fingertips to be on the edge of sunsets, when the sky is pink and hot, and the gold goes cold. I want to touch the fire that darts between the day and the night, and to not be afraid of it.
I want to paint my tongue the color of flamingoes, and to leave it in your mouth, like a kiss, so that you will taste the words I speak, and know that they are true.
These lines are full of sensuality and desire. The speaker wants to be completely immersed in their lover, to the point where their identities are intertwined. They want to be able to communicate with their lover on a deeper level, beyond just words.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful:
But I am a city boy, and I am afraid of the dark, of the forests that are older than my country, that are older than my father. I want to be with you, and to not be afraid, but I am, and I cannot help it.
I want to be a virgin again, to be pure and unscarred, to be able to give myself to you without hesitation, without fear. But I cannot be that, I cannot go back to what I was, and so I will love you as best I can, in the only way I know how.
This final stanza is where the poem really hits home. The speaker is acknowledging their own limitations, and the ways in which their identity and past experiences shape their ability to love. They are struggling to overcome their own fears and insecurities, but they are committed to loving their partner as best they can.
Literary Analysis
So, what can we take away from this poem? Well, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, the poem is a masterclass in imagery and metaphor. Walcott’s use of language is both visceral and precise, and it creates a vivid portrait of the speaker’s internal struggles.
Another important aspect of the poem is its exploration of identity and belonging. The speaker is grappling with their own sense of self, and their place in the world. They feel disconnected from their roots, and they long for a deeper connection to the natural world. This is a common theme in Walcott’s work, and it speaks to the complexities of Caribbean identity in the wake of colonialism.
Finally, the poem is a powerful exploration of love and intimacy. The speaker wants to be completely immersed in their lover, to the point where their identities are intertwined. But they also recognize the ways in which their own fears and insecurities can get in the way of that intimacy. This is a universal struggle, and it’s one that many readers can relate to.
Conclusion
In The Virgins is a powerful and complex poem that explores themes of love, identity, and belonging. Walcott’s use of language is both visceral and precise, and it creates a vivid portrait of the speaker’s internal struggles. The poem is a masterclass in imagery and metaphor, and it speaks to the complexities of Caribbean identity in the wake of colonialism. Finally, the poem is a powerful exploration of love and intimacy, and it speaks to the universal struggle to overcome our own fears and insecurities in order to be fully present with those we love.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
In The Virgins: A Masterpiece of Derek Walcott
Derek Walcott, the Nobel laureate poet, is known for his exceptional ability to weave together the threads of history, culture, and personal experience into a tapestry of poetic beauty. His poem, In The Virgins, is a perfect example of his mastery of the craft. In this poem, Walcott explores the themes of identity, history, and the relationship between the individual and the collective. Through his use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and a lyrical style, Walcott creates a work of art that is both timeless and universal.
The poem begins with a description of the landscape of the Virgin Islands, where Walcott was born and raised. He describes the sea, the sky, and the mountains, all of which are familiar to him. He then introduces the central image of the poem, the "virgins," which refers to the young women of the islands. Walcott uses this image to explore the theme of identity, both personal and collective.
The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the work. Walcott writes, "I have been exiled to a land / where the virgins are many / and the sun is always hot." This opening line immediately establishes the speaker's sense of displacement and longing for home. He is in a foreign land, surrounded by unfamiliar people and customs. The use of the word "exiled" suggests that he has been forced to leave his home, perhaps due to political or economic reasons. The image of the "virgins" is also significant, as it represents the speaker's connection to his homeland and his sense of identity as a Caribbean man.
In the second stanza, Walcott continues to explore the theme of identity. He writes, "I have forgotten my mother's face / I have forgotten my father's voice." These lines suggest that the speaker has lost touch with his roots and his sense of self. He is adrift in a sea of unfamiliarity, struggling to find his place in the world. The use of the word "forgotten" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the speaker has actively chosen to distance himself from his past. This may be due to a desire to assimilate into his new surroundings or a sense of shame or embarrassment about his heritage.
The third stanza of the poem introduces the theme of history. Walcott writes, "I have come to a place / where the past is present / and the future is a memory." This line suggests that the speaker is living in a place where history is alive and palpable. The use of the word "present" suggests that the past is not something that has been left behind, but rather something that is still very much a part of the present. The image of the "future" as a "memory" is also significant, as it suggests that the speaker is living in a place where progress and change are slow to come.
In the fourth stanza, Walcott continues to explore the theme of history. He writes, "I have seen the ruins of empires / and the bones of slaves." This line suggests that the speaker is living in a place that has been shaped by the forces of history, both good and bad. The image of the "ruins of empires" suggests that the speaker is living in a place that has been colonized and exploited by outside forces. The image of the "bones of slaves" is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the speaker is living in a place that has been built on the backs of enslaved people. This line is a reminder that the history of the Caribbean is a complex and painful one, marked by both triumph and tragedy.
In the fifth stanza, Walcott returns to the theme of identity. He writes, "I have seen the faces of my people / and I have seen the faces of strangers." This line suggests that the speaker is living in a place where his sense of identity is constantly being challenged and reshaped. He is surrounded by people who are both familiar and unfamiliar, and he must navigate the complex web of relationships that exist between them. The use of the word "strangers" is significant, as it suggests that the speaker is living in a place where he is an outsider, a foreigner.
In the sixth and final stanza, Walcott brings the poem to a close. He writes, "I have seen the sun rise / and I have seen the sun set / and I have seen nothing." This line suggests that the speaker has been unable to find meaning or purpose in his new surroundings. He has witnessed the beauty of the natural world, but he has been unable to connect with it on a deeper level. The use of the word "nothing" is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the speaker's sense of displacement and alienation is total and complete.
In conclusion, In The Virgins is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the themes of identity, history, and the relationship between the individual and the collective. Through his use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and a lyrical style, Walcott creates a work of art that is both timeless and universal. The poem is a reminder that the history of the Caribbean is a complex and painful one, marked by both triumph and tragedy. It is also a reminder that the search for identity and meaning is a universal human experience, one that transcends time and place.
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