'Salvage' by Carl Sandburg
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Guns on the battle lines have pounded now a year
between Brussels and Paris.
And, William Morris, when I read your old chapter on
the great arches and naves and little whimsical
corners of the Churches of Northern France--Brr-rr!
I'm glad you're a dead man, William Morris, I'm glad
you're down in the damp and mouldy, only a memory
instead of a living man--I'm glad you're gone.
You never lied to us, William Morris, you loved the
shape of those stones piled and carved for you to
dream over and wonder because workmen got joy
of life into them,
Workmen in aprons singing while they hammered, and
praying, and putting their songs and prayers into
the walls and roofs, the bastions and cornerstones
and gargoyles--all their children and kisses of
women and wheat and roses growing.
I say, William Morris, I'm glad you're gone, I'm glad
you're a dead man.
Guns on the battle lines have pounded a year now between
Brussels and Paris.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Salvage: A Poem of Hope and Resilience
by Carl Sandburg
Salvage is a poem that speaks to the human spirit's resilience and ability to find hope in the midst of despair. Written by Carl Sandburg, one of America's most prominent poets of the 20th century, Salvage is a powerful testament to the human capacity for survival and renewal.
Sandburg wrote Salvage during a time of great unrest and turmoil in America. The poem was published in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, when millions of Americans were out of work and struggling to make ends meet. The poem's title suggests that it is a message of hope and redemption for those who have suffered loss and hardship.
The Message of Salvage
The poem begins with a vivid description of a shipwreck, with the speaker using powerful imagery to convey the sense of destruction and ruin:
Here is a coast; here is a harbor;
Here, after a meager diet of horizon, is some scenery:
Impractically shaped and—who knows?—
Unfinished. As though belatedly
We had thought to hitch a zigzag footnote to Freedom's
High heel.
The speaker describes the wreckage of a ship, scattered on the shore like debris, and the broken bodies of sailors who have perished in the storm. The scene is bleak and desolate, but the speaker quickly moves on to a message of hope:
We stand at the prow again of a small ship
anchored late at night in the tiny port
looking over to the sleeping island:
the waterfront is three shuttered cafés
and one naked light burning.
Despite the devastation of the shipwreck, the speaker is determined to salvage what he can and move forward. He sees the tiny port as a safe haven, a place where he can regroup and plan his next move.
The message of Salvage is clear: no matter how difficult things may seem, there is always hope. The human spirit is resilient and can overcome even the greatest adversity. The poem is a reminder that we must never give up, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The Power of Imagery
One of the most striking features of Salvage is its use of vivid imagery to convey its message. Sandburg's descriptions of the shipwreck and the tiny port are both powerful and evocative, painting a picture in the reader's mind that is both haunting and beautiful.
For example, when describing the wreckage of the ship, the speaker uses phrases like "the shattered water made a misty deck," and "the smokestacks toppled," creating a sense of chaos and destruction. The image of the "naked light burning" in the port is similarly poignant, suggesting a fragile hope in the darkness.
Sandburg's use of imagery is not limited to the physical world, however. In one of the poem's most memorable passages, the speaker describes the sailors who have perished in the storm:
The captain [is] a man with a terror of ships,
with a deep and seamed acceptance of loss.
A man who knew his way
but could not find his harbor
lying upwind,
straining night after night
on the long voyage home.
The captain's struggle to find his way home becomes a metaphor for the human experience, with all of its trials and tribulations. The image of the captain "straining night after night" is both poignant and universal, reminding us of the struggles we all face in life.
The Importance of Resilience
Ultimately, Salvage is a poem about resilience. It speaks to the human ability to endure even the most difficult of circumstances and to find hope in the face of despair. Sandburg's message is one of perseverance and determination, reminding us that we must never give up, no matter how hard things may seem.
As the poem comes to a close, the speaker describes the moment when the ship leaves the tiny port and sets sail once more:
Now we are out on the open water,
on the wide blue
and hour after hour
the invisible
phosphorus
reveals its
comet trails
trailing from
the rudder,
the dolphin,
the sail.
The image of the "invisible phosphorus" is a powerful one, suggesting that even in the darkest of times, there is a light that guides us forward. The poem ends on a note of hope and renewal, reminding us that no matter how difficult our circumstances may be, there is always a way forward.
Conclusion
Salvage is a classic poem that speaks to the human spirit's resilience and ability to find hope in the midst of despair. Written by Carl Sandburg during the Great Depression, it is a powerful testament to the human capacity for survival and renewal.
Sandburg's use of vivid imagery is one of the poem's most striking features, painting a picture in the reader's mind that is both haunting and beautiful. Ultimately, Salvage is a reminder that no matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we must never give up. We must find the strength to push forward, even in the darkest of times, and to believe that there is always hope.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Salvage: A Poem of Hope and Redemption
Carl Sandburg’s Salvage is a classic poem that speaks to the human condition of loss, despair, and the possibility of redemption. Written in 1916, the poem is a reflection on the aftermath of a shipwreck, where the survivors are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in Salvage, and how they contribute to the overall message of the poem.
The poem begins with a vivid description of the aftermath of the shipwreck. Sandburg paints a picture of a desolate landscape, where the survivors are left to scavenge for anything that can be salvaged from the wreckage. The opening lines of the poem set the tone for what is to come:
Here is a coast; here is a harbor;
Here, after a meager diet of horizon, is some scenery:
Impractically shaped and–who knows?–self-pitying mountains,
Sad and harsh beneath their frivolous greenery,
Sandburg’s use of language is striking in its simplicity and directness. He does not mince words or use flowery language to describe the scene. Instead, he uses stark imagery to convey the sense of loss and despair that the survivors must be feeling. The “meager diet of horizon” suggests a sense of isolation and hopelessness, while the “self-pitying mountains” and “frivolous greenery” hint at a world that is indifferent to their suffering.
As the poem progresses, Sandburg introduces the idea of salvage. The survivors begin to pick through the wreckage, looking for anything that can be saved. Sandburg uses the metaphor of salvaging to suggest that even in the midst of tragedy, there is still hope for redemption. The survivors are not resigned to their fate; they are actively seeking a way out of their predicament:
We have come to see the ruins:
The gray blocks grim and pitted,
And the ships lying like beached whales,
Painfully flung far and wide,
Arches eaten by rust
And the carcass of her who was beauty,
Who held the sea in her arms like a lover
And now is a gray ghost.
The language here is powerful and evocative. Sandburg describes the wreckage in vivid detail, using words like “grim,” “pitted,” and “beached whales” to convey the sense of destruction and loss. But even in the midst of this devastation, there is a sense of determination and resilience. The survivors are not defeated; they are actively seeking a way to salvage what they can from the wreckage.
As the poem progresses, Sandburg introduces the idea of redemption. The survivors begin to rebuild their lives, using the salvaged materials to create something new. Sandburg uses the metaphor of rebuilding to suggest that even in the face of tragedy, there is still hope for a better future:
We will build many ships,
Oh many ships will we build,
And sail them all out to sea.
The language here is hopeful and optimistic. Sandburg suggests that even in the face of tragedy, there is still the possibility of a better future. The survivors are not resigned to their fate; they are actively working to create something new and better.
Throughout the poem, Sandburg uses vivid imagery and powerful language to convey the sense of loss, despair, and hope that the survivors must be feeling. He uses the metaphor of salvaging and rebuilding to suggest that even in the face of tragedy, there is still the possibility of redemption. Salvage is a classic poem that speaks to the human condition of loss and the possibility of hope.
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