'On The Skeleton Of A Hound' by James Wright
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Nightfall, that saw the morning-glories float
Tendril and string against the crumbling wall,
Nurses him now, his skeleton for grief,
His locks for comfort curled among the leaf.
Shuttles of moonlight weave his shadow tall,
Milkweed and dew flow upward to his throat.
Now catbird feathers plume the apple mound,
And starlings drowse to winter up the ground.
thickened away from speech by fear, I move
Around the body.Over his forepaws, steep
Declivities darken down the moonlight now,
And the long throat that bayed a year ago
Declines from summer.Flies would love to leap
Between his eyes and hum away the space
Between the ears, the hollow where a hare
Could hide; another jealous dog would tumble
The bones apart, angry, the shining crumble
Of a great body gleaming in the air;
Quivering pigeons foul his broken face.
I can imagine men who search the earth
For handy resurrections, overturn
The body of a beetle in its grave;
Whispering men digging for gods might delve
A pocket for these bones, then slowly burn
Twigs in the leaves, pray for another birth.
But I will turn my face away from this
Ruin of summer, collapse of fur and bone.
For once a white hare huddled up the grass,
The sparrows flocked away to see the race.
I stood on darkness, clinging to a stone,
I saw the two leaping alive on ice,
On earth, on leaf, humus and withered vine:
The rabbit splendid in a shroud of shade,
The dog carved on the sunlight, on the air,
Fierce and magnificent his rippled hair,
The cockleburs shaking around his head.
Then, suddenly, the hare leaped beyond pain
Out of the open meadow, and the hound
Followed the voiceless dancer to the moon,
To dark, to death, to other meadows where
Singing young women dance around a fire,
Where love reveres the living.I alone
Scatter this hulk about the dampened ground;
And while the moon rises beyond me, throw
The ribs and spine out of their perfect shape.
For a last charm to the dead, I lift the skull
And toss it over the maples like a ball.
Strewn to the woods, now may that spirit sleep
That flamed over the ground a year ago.
I know the mole will heave a shinbone over,
The earthworm snuggle for a nap on paws,
The honest bees build honey in the head;
The earth knows how to handle the great dead
Who lived the body out, and broke its laws,
Knocked down a fence, tore up a field of clover.
Editor 1 Interpretation
On The Skeleton Of A Hound: A Haunting Ode to Death and Loss
By James Wright
On The Skeleton Of A Hound by James Wright is a poem that speaks to the soul, not only through the words but through the very essence of the poem. Through the vivid imagery, the haunting tone, and the intense emotions that the poem evokes, this literary masterpiece explores the themes of death, loss, and the impermanence of life.
The Poem
The poem is divided into three stanzas, with each stanza containing eight lines. The rhyme scheme is ABABCCDD, with the last word of each line rhyming with the last word of the third line in the next stanza. This creates a sense of continuity and cohesion throughout the poem.
The first stanza begins with the speaker encountering the skeleton of a hound in a field. The speaker describes the skeleton as "lean," "bleached," and "lonely." The use of these adjectives sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker then goes on to describe the skull of the hound as having "black and empty sockets." This imagery is both haunting and powerful, as it evokes a sense of emptiness and loss.
The second stanza is where the poem really begins to delve into the themes of death and impermanence. The speaker describes the hound's bones as being "scattered on the ground" and "bleached by the sun and the wind." The use of the words "scattered" and "bleached" give a sense of decay and abandonment. The speaker then reflects on the fact that the hound was once a living, breathing creature, but now it is nothing more than a pile of bones. This realization is both sobering and thought-provoking.
The final stanza is where the poem reaches its climax. The speaker reflects on the fact that everything in life is impermanent and that death is an inevitable part of the cycle of life. The speaker says, "We ourselves shall be loved for a while and forgotten. / But the love will have been enough; all our dust /wind-blown up and away, like a thought, will have / passed /over the face of the earth, and the hand that sweeps / the dust / will have been ours." This stanza is both beautiful and haunting, as it reminds us that life is short and that we should cherish the time we have with our loved ones.
Interpretation
On The Skeleton Of A Hound is a poem that deals with the universal themes of death, loss, and the impermanence of life. The speaker's encounter with the skeleton of the hound serves as a metaphor for the fragility and transience of life. The hound was once a living, breathing creature, but now it is nothing more than a pile of bones. This serves as a reminder that we too will one day die and that everything we do in life will eventually be forgotten.
The poem also speaks to the power of memory and the importance of cherishing our loved ones while they are still alive. The speaker reflects on the fact that the hound may be forgotten, but the love that it once received will never be forgotten. This is a powerful message that reminds us to cherish our loved ones while they are still with us.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it speaks to the power of nature and the cycle of life. The hound's bones are described as being "bleached by the sun and the wind," which serves as a reminder that everything in nature is cyclical. The hound was once a living, breathing creature, but now its bones are being returned to the earth. This serves as a reminder that we too are a part of the natural cycle of life and that we will one day return to the earth.
Literary Criticism
On The Skeleton Of A Hound is a literary masterpiece that has been studied and analyzed by scholars for decades. The poem is often praised for its vivid imagery, haunting tone, and powerful message. One of the most notable aspects of the poem is its use of language. The poem is written in a simple, straightforward style that belies its depth and complexity. The use of simple language makes the poem accessible to a wide audience, while the depth of the poem ensures that it will continue to be studied and analyzed for years to come.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of metaphor. The hound's bones are used as a metaphor for the fragility and impermanence of life. This metaphor is powerful and effective, as it allows the reader to understand the deeper meanings of the poem on a subconscious level.
The poem is also notable for its use of rhyme and meter. The rhyme scheme of the poem creates a sense of cohesion and continuity that helps to drive home the poem's message. The meter of the poem is also noteworthy, as it creates a sense of rhythm and flow that adds to the poem's beauty and power.
Conclusion
On The Skeleton Of A Hound by James Wright is a haunting ode to death and loss that speaks to the soul. Through its vivid imagery, haunting tone, and intense emotions, the poem explores the themes of death, loss, and the impermanence of life. The poem's use of metaphor, language, rhyme, and meter are all notable, and contribute to the poem's power and beauty. This literary masterpiece is a testament to the power of poetry and serves as a reminder that even in death, love and memory can endure.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry On The Skeleton Of A Hound: An Analysis
James Wright's Poetry On The Skeleton Of A Hound is a haunting and evocative poem that explores themes of death, decay, and the passage of time. Written in 1963, the poem is a meditation on mortality and the fragility of life, as seen through the lens of a long-dead hound.
The poem opens with a vivid description of the hound's skeleton, which is lying in a field "among the rubbish and aluminum." The image is stark and unsettling, and immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The hound's bones are described in detail, from the "yellow teeth" to the "hollow sockets" of its eyes. The language is spare and precise, and the poem's imagery is both vivid and haunting.
As the poem progresses, Wright uses the hound's skeleton as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of death. He writes that the hound's "bones are scattered / On the brown leaves" and that "the wind whistles through the bones of the dead." These lines suggest that the hound's remains have been lying in the field for a long time, and that they have become a part of the natural world around them. The wind, which is often associated with change and movement, is now blowing through the bones of the dead hound, reminding us that everything is in a constant state of flux.
Wright also uses the hound's skeleton to explore the idea of memory and the ways in which we remember those who have passed away. He writes that "the living hound is leaping" and that "the dead hound lies still." These lines suggest that the memory of the living hound is still very much alive, even though the hound itself is long gone. The dead hound, on the other hand, is completely still and silent, a reminder that death brings an end to all movement and activity.
Throughout the poem, Wright's language is spare and precise, and his imagery is both vivid and haunting. He uses the hound's skeleton as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of death, and he explores the ways in which we remember those who have passed away. The poem is a powerful meditation on mortality and the fragility of life, and it leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of imagery. Wright's descriptions of the hound's skeleton are vivid and evocative, and they create a sense of unease and discomfort in the reader. The hound's "yellow teeth" and "hollow sockets" are particularly unsettling, and they suggest that the hound's death was not a peaceful one. The image of the hound's bones lying "among the rubbish and aluminum" is also striking, as it suggests that the hound's remains have been discarded and forgotten.
Wright's use of metaphor is also noteworthy. The hound's skeleton is used as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of death, and it is a powerful symbol of the fragility of life. The wind blowing through the bones of the dead hound is a reminder that everything is in a constant state of flux, and that nothing lasts forever. The hound's skeleton is also a metaphor for memory, as it reminds us of those who have passed away and the ways in which we remember them.
The poem's structure is also worth noting. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which contains four lines. The structure is simple and straightforward, and it allows the poem's imagery and language to take center stage. The repetition of the phrase "the dead hound lies still" at the end of each stanza is particularly effective, as it reinforces the poem's themes of mortality and stillness.
In conclusion, James Wright's Poetry On The Skeleton Of A Hound is a powerful and haunting poem that explores themes of death, decay, and the passage of time. Wright's use of vivid imagery and metaphor creates a sense of unease and discomfort in the reader, and his spare and precise language is both evocative and haunting. The poem is a meditation on mortality and the fragility of life, and it leaves a lasting impression on the reader.
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