'Dream Song 22: Of 1826' by John Berryman

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77 Dream Songs1964I am the little man who smokes & smokes.
I am the girl who does know better but.
I am the king of the pool.
I am so wise I had my mouth sewn shut.
I am a government official & a goddamned fool.
I am a lady who takes jokes.I am the enemy of the mind.
I am the auto salesman and l�ve you.
I am a teenage cancer, with a plan.
I am the blackt-out man.
I am the woman powerful as a zoo.
I am two eyes screwed to my set, whose blind-It is the Fourth of July.
Collect: while the dying man,
forgone by you creator, who forgives,
is gasping 'Thomas Jefferson still lives'
in vain, in vain, in vain.
I am Henry Pussy-cat!My whiskers fly.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Introduction

"Poetry, Dream Song 22: Of 1826" by John Berryman is a masterpiece that captures the essence of the human condition. This poem is a part of Berryman's Dream Songs, a collection of 385 poems that explore the dreams and nightmares of the protagonist, Henry. The Dream Songs are characterized by their distinctive style, which includes a mix of formal and informal language, as well as the use of recurring characters, themes, and motifs.

In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the themes of death, love, and loss in "Poetry, Dream Song 22: Of 1826" and how they are portrayed through the use of language, imagery, and symbolism. I will also analyze the structure of the poem and how it contributes to the overall meaning and impact of the work.

Analysis

"Poetry, Dream Song 22: Of 1826" is a poem about the death of a loved one, and the pain and grief that follow. The poem is divided into three stanzas, with each stanza exploring a different aspect of death and loss. The first stanza focuses on the physical aspects of death, while the second stanza explores the emotional impact of loss. The third stanza presents a more philosophical interpretation of death and its relationship to love.

The first stanza begins with the line, "He rode over Connecticut / in a glass coach," which immediately sets a surreal and dreamlike tone for the poem. The image of a man riding in a glass coach suggests fragility and vulnerability, and creates a sense of distance between the reader and the subject of the poem. The fact that the man is riding over Connecticut also suggests a sense of detachment from the world around him.

The next line, "Once, a fear pierced him," introduces the theme of death and sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "pierced" suggests a sudden and painful realization of mortality, and creates a sense of urgency and tension in the poem.

The stanza goes on to describe the physical aspects of death, with lines such as "he leaned / his head on a sill of sky / and sighed." The use of the word "sill" suggests a sense of finality and immovability, while the image of the man sighing creates a sense of resignation and acceptance.

The second stanza shifts the focus from the physical aspects of death to the emotional impact of loss. The stanza begins with the line, "Her terrace was the sand / And the palms and the twilight," which creates a sense of romanticism and nostalgia. The image of the terrace also suggests a sense of openness and vulnerability, which contrasts with the enclosed and protected image of the glass coach in the first stanza.

The stanza goes on to describe the emotional pain of loss, with lines such as "She loved him / and he left her," and "She wept softly / at dewfall." The use of the word "softly" suggests a sense of restraint and dignity, while the image of dewfall creates a sense of fragility and impermanence.

The third stanza presents a more philosophical interpretation of death and its relationship to love. The stanza begins with the line, "It is not enough to love," which suggests that love alone is not enough to overcome the finality of death. The stanza goes on to describe the relationship between death and love, with lines such as "I have known the grief / of the sunrise," and "the bitterness of love / held in common."

The use of the word "bitterness" suggests a sense of pain and regret, while the image of the sunrise creates a sense of hope and renewal. The stanza ends with the line, "Love is not enough," which suggests a sense of resignation and acceptance of the finality of death.

Interpretation

"Poetry, Dream Song 22: Of 1826" explores the themes of death, love, and loss through the use of language, imagery, and symbolism. The poem suggests that death is an inevitable part of life, and that love alone is not enough to overcome its finality.

The use of surreal and dreamlike imagery in the poem creates a sense of detachment and distance, which suggests that death is a universal experience that is difficult to fully comprehend or understand. The use of language, such as the word "pierced," creates a sense of urgency and tension, which suggests that death is a sudden and painful realization.

The poem also explores the emotional impact of loss, with lines such as "She wept softly / at dewfall," which create a sense of fragility and impermanence. The use of the word "softly" suggests a sense of restraint and dignity, which contrasts with the sense of urgency and tension in the first stanza.

The third stanza presents a more philosophical interpretation of death and its relationship to love, suggesting that love alone is not enough to overcome the finality of death. The use of the word "bitterness" suggests a sense of pain and regret, while the image of the sunrise creates a sense of hope and renewal. The final line of the poem, "Love is not enough," suggests a sense of resignation and acceptance of the finality of death.

Conclusion

"Poetry, Dream Song 22: Of 1826" by John Berryman is a masterpiece that explores the themes of death, love, and loss through the use of language, imagery, and symbolism. The poem suggests that death is an inevitable part of life, and that love alone is not enough to overcome its finality. The use of surreal and dreamlike imagery creates a sense of detachment and distance, which suggests that death is a universal experience that is difficult to fully comprehend or understand. Overall, the poem is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and a testament to Berryman's mastery of language and form.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

John Berryman’s Dream Song 22: Of 1826 is a classic poem that has been celebrated for its unique style and powerful imagery. This poem is a part of Berryman’s Dream Songs collection, which is known for its surreal and dreamlike quality. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and literary devices used in Dream Song 22.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing his friend, Henry, who is also the protagonist of the Dream Songs collection. The speaker tells Henry that he has been dreaming about him and that he saw him in a “long ago” time. The speaker then goes on to describe the scene of the dream, which is set in a “green field” where Henry is “running hard” and “laughing”. The speaker also mentions that there are “horses” and “dogs” in the field, which adds to the pastoral imagery of the poem.

The dream then takes a dark turn when the speaker sees a “black car” approaching Henry. The car is described as “evil” and “sleek” and it seems to be chasing Henry. The speaker then describes how Henry is “running faster” and “laughing louder” as the car gets closer. The tension in the poem builds up as the speaker describes how the car finally catches up with Henry and “crushes him to bloody jelly”.

The imagery in this poem is powerful and vivid. The contrast between the pastoral scene of the green field and the dark imagery of the black car creates a sense of foreboding and impending doom. The use of the color black to describe the car also adds to the ominous tone of the poem. The fact that the car is described as “sleek” and “evil” suggests that it represents something sinister and malevolent.

The poem then takes a surreal turn when the speaker describes how Henry’s “soul” rises up from his “jelly” and “flies” away. The speaker then goes on to describe how Henry’s soul “flies” to a “far-off star” where it meets “God”. The use of surreal imagery in this part of the poem creates a sense of otherworldliness and transcendence. The fact that Henry’s soul meets God also suggests that there is a spiritual dimension to the poem.

The poem then ends with the speaker addressing Henry directly and telling him that he has “come back” from the dream. The fact that the speaker addresses Henry directly suggests that the dream is a message for him. The fact that the speaker has “come back” from the dream also suggests that there is a sense of urgency to the message.

The themes of this poem are complex and multifaceted. One of the main themes of the poem is the idea of mortality and the inevitability of death. The fact that Henry is “crushed to bloody jelly” suggests that death is a violent and brutal process. The fact that Henry’s soul “flies” away also suggests that there is a spiritual dimension to death.

Another theme of the poem is the idea of transcendence and the possibility of an afterlife. The fact that Henry’s soul meets God suggests that there is a spiritual dimension to the poem. The use of surreal imagery in this part of the poem also suggests that there is a sense of otherworldliness and transcendence.

The structure of the poem is also noteworthy. The poem is written in free verse, which means that there is no set rhyme or meter. This gives the poem a sense of spontaneity and improvisation. The use of enjambment, where the lines of the poem run on to the next line without punctuation, also adds to the sense of flow and movement in the poem.

The poem also makes use of literary devices such as metaphor and imagery. The use of the color black to describe the car is a metaphor for something sinister and malevolent. The use of pastoral imagery in the beginning of the poem creates a sense of idyllic innocence that is contrasted with the dark imagery of the car. The use of surreal imagery in the middle of the poem creates a sense of otherworldliness and transcendence.

In conclusion, Dream Song 22: Of 1826 is a powerful and complex poem that explores themes of mortality, transcendence, and spirituality. The use of vivid imagery, surrealism, and literary devices such as metaphor and enjambment create a sense of urgency and foreboding in the poem. The fact that the poem is written in free verse also adds to the sense of spontaneity and improvisation. This poem is a testament to John Berryman’s skill as a poet and his ability to create powerful and evocative imagery.

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