'Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes.' by John Berryman
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77 Dream Songs1964His mother goes. The mother comes & goes.
Chen Lung's too came, came and crampt & then
that dragoner's mother was gone.
It seem we don't have no good bed to lie on,
forever. While he drawing his first breath,
while skinning his knees,while he was so beastly with love for Charlotte Coquet
he skated up & down in front of her house
wishing he could, sir, die,
while being bullied & he dreamt he could fly-
during irregular verbs-them world-sought bodies
safe in the Arctic lay:Strindberg rocked in his niche, the great Andrée
by muscled Fraenkel under what's of the tent,
torn like then limbs, by bears
over fierce decades, harmless. Up in pairs
go we not, but we have a good bed.
I have said what I had to say.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes.
Introduction
John Berryman's "Dream Song 11" is a poem that explores the complex relationship between a son and his mother. The poem is part of Berryman's larger work, the Dream Songs, which is a collection of 385 songs that are written in a unique form that combines elements of free verse, prose poetry, and song lyrics. "Dream Song 11" is a powerful and emotional poem that delves into the themes of loss, grief, and the search for meaning in life.
Overview
The poem opens with the speaker reflecting on the death of his mother. He describes how she "goes" and "comes" in his dreams, and how her presence lingers in his waking life. The speaker seems to be struggling with his emotions, as he alternates between feelings of sadness and anger.
The poem is structured in a unique way, with each stanza consisting of three lines. The first and third lines rhyme, while the second line is a repetition of the first line with a slight variation. This form gives the poem a musical quality, which is fitting given the title of the collection.
Analysis
The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, as the speaker describes his mother's death:
His mother goes. The mother comes & goes.
The poem is written in a unique form that combines elements of free verse, prose poetry, and song lyrics.
The speaker seems to be struggling with his emotions, as he alternates between feelings of sadness and anger.
The repetition of "goes" and "comes" creates a sense of motion, as if the mother is constantly moving in and out of the speaker's life. The use of the word "mother" instead of her name emphasizes her role as a maternal figure in the speaker's life.
In the second stanza, the speaker reflects on his mother's presence in his dreams:
So grief also comes & goes. I wake and I
wake and I feel the fell of dark, not day.
What hours, O what black hours we have spent
The repetition of "wake" emphasizes the speaker's inability to escape his grief. The use of the phrase "fell of dark" creates a sense of heaviness and oppression, as if the grief is a weight that the speaker cannot shake off. The final line of the stanza, "What hours, O what black hours we have spent," is a powerful statement that captures the depth of the speaker's pain.
The third stanza is filled with anger, as the speaker lashes out at his mother:
And more must, in yet longer light's delay.
With witness I speak this. But where I say
hours I mean years, mean life. And my lament
The repetition of "mean" emphasizes the speaker's frustration and anger. He is angry that his mother has left him, angry at himself for not being able to move on, and angry at life for being so cruel. The use of the word "lament" is a nod to the poem's musical form, as a lament is a type of mournful song.
The fourth stanza is a reflection on the nature of grief:
O what shall I say, how is the truth to be said?
You were my veil, O mother, and often love
has blinded me but your death has woken me
The use of the word "veil" emphasizes the mother's role as a protector and caregiver. The speaker is acknowledging that he has been shielded from the harsh realities of life by his mother. The use of the word "blinded" emphasizes the power of love to cloud one's judgment. However, the mother's death has forced the speaker to confront the truth and see things clearly.
The fifth and final stanza is a call to action:
To my own mind said, 'Do not let grief
be a wall, stone wall impeding.' Look and see
what stands in the sexton's yard I lied before
The use of the phrase "stone wall impeding" creates a sense of confinement and limitation. The speaker is urging himself to break free from the constraints of grief and move forward with his life. The reference to the "sexton's yard" is a reminder of the finality of death and the need to make the most of one's time on earth.
Conclusion
In "Dream Song 11," John Berryman has created a powerful and emotional poem that explores the complex relationship between a son and his mother. The use of the poem's unique form adds to its musical quality, emphasizing the poem's themes of loss, grief, and the search for meaning in life. The speaker's struggles with his emotions are relatable and poignant, making this poem a timeless exploration of the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes. is a classic poem written by John Berryman. This poem is a part of Berryman's Dream Songs, which is a collection of 385 poems that were written between 1955 and 1967. The Dream Songs are known for their unique style, which combines elements of both poetry and prose. In this article, we will analyze and explain the meaning of Dream Song 11.
The poem begins with the line "His mother goes." This line is simple and straightforward, but it sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is referring to himself in the third person, which is a common technique used in the Dream Songs. The use of the third person allows the speaker to distance himself from the events of the poem, which can be emotionally charged.
The next line is "The mother comes & goes." This line is repeated throughout the poem, and it serves as a refrain. The repetition of this line creates a sense of rhythm and reinforces the idea that the mother is a constant presence in the speaker's life, even though she is not physically present.
The speaker then describes his mother's departure. He says that she "goes down the long hall" and "out the door." These details create a vivid image in the reader's mind and emphasize the finality of the mother's departure. The use of the word "long" also suggests that the speaker's mother has been a part of his life for a significant amount of time.
The next stanza begins with the line "Her absence is excruciating." This line is significant because it reveals the speaker's emotional state. The word "excruciating" suggests that the speaker is in pain, and the absence of his mother is causing him great distress. This line also highlights the importance of the mother in the speaker's life.
The speaker then describes his mother's return. He says that she "comes in at night." This line suggests that the mother is returning home after a long day, and it creates a sense of comfort and familiarity. The speaker then describes the mother's actions. She "puts her hat on the piano" and "makes tea." These details create a sense of domesticity and suggest that the mother is a nurturing figure.
The next stanza begins with the line "The mother is everywhere." This line reinforces the idea that the mother is a constant presence in the speaker's life. The speaker then describes the mother's actions in more detail. She "smoothes his hair" and "sings an old song." These actions create a sense of intimacy and suggest that the mother and son have a close relationship.
The final stanza begins with the line "She is gone." This line is significant because it suggests that the mother's presence is fleeting. The speaker then describes his own actions. He says that he "cries out for her." This line reveals the speaker's emotional state and emphasizes the importance of the mother in his life.
The poem ends with the repetition of the refrain "The mother comes & goes." This repetition creates a sense of circularity and reinforces the idea that the mother is a constant presence in the speaker's life, even though she is not physically present.
In conclusion, Dream Song 11 is a powerful poem that explores the relationship between a mother and son. The poem is significant because it captures the complex emotions that are associated with this relationship. The use of repetition, vivid imagery, and emotional language creates a sense of intimacy and emphasizes the importance of the mother in the speaker's life. Overall, Dream Song 11 is a beautiful and moving poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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