'Dream Song 51: Our wounds to time, from all the other times' by John Berryman
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Our wounds to time, from all the other times,
sea-times slow, the times of galaxies
fleeing, the dwarfs' dead times,
lessen so little that if here in his crude rimes
Henry them mentions, do not hold it, please,
for a putting of man down.
Ol' Marster, being bound you do your best
versus we coons, spare now a cagey John
a whilom bits that whip:
who'll tell your fortune, when you have confessed
whose & whose woundings—against the innocent stars
& remorseless seas—
—Are you radioactive, pal? —Pal, radioactive.
—Has you the night sweats & the day sweats, pal?
—Pal, I do.
—Did your gal leave you? —What do you think, pal?
—Is that thing on the front of your head what it seems to be, pal?
—Yes, pal.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dream Song 51: Our wounds to time, from all the other times
John Berryman's Dream Song 51 is a powerful reflection on the human condition and the passage of time. The poem weaves together themes of memory, loss, and mortality in a masterful way, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences of life and death.
At its core, Dream Song 51 is a meditation on the ephemerality of human existence. The poem begins with a narrator who laments that "we are all going, / to one destination or another," suggesting that death is an inevitable part of life. The narrator goes on to describe the various ways in which time erodes the physical and emotional fabric of our lives, leaving us with "wounds" that can never fully heal.
One of the most striking things about Dream Song 51 is the vivid imagery that Berryman employs to convey these ideas. For instance, the narrator describes how "our wounds to time, from all the other times, / must come undone," suggesting that the past is constantly exerting a force on the present. This idea is reinforced by the repeated use of the word "undone," which implies a sense of unraveling or undoing.
Another powerful image in the poem is the repetition of the phrase "I am, I am," which suggests a kind of existential desperation. The narrator seems to be grasping for some kind of meaning or purpose in the face of death and the passage of time, but ultimately comes up empty-handed. The repetition of this phrase also highlights the idea that we are all ultimately alone in the face of our own mortality.
Despite the bleakness of its subject matter, Dream Song 51 is a deeply moving and thought-provoking poem. By confronting readers with the inevitability of death, Berryman forces us to confront our own mortality and to reflect on the ways in which we can find meaning and purpose in the face of our own impermanence.
Ultimately, Dream Song 51 is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the complexities of the human experience. It is a poem that speaks to the universal human condition, and one that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dream Song 51: Our wounds to time, from all the other times is a classic poem written by John Berryman. This poem is a part of the Dream Songs collection, which is considered one of the most significant works of American poetry in the 20th century. In this poem, Berryman explores the theme of time and its impact on human life. He uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey his message, making this poem a masterpiece of modern poetry.
The poem begins with the speaker reflecting on the wounds that time has inflicted upon him. He says, "Our wounds to time, from all the other times, / Are wounds to time, and from them we bleed." This line suggests that time is a force that causes pain and suffering, and that our wounds are a result of our interaction with time. The speaker then goes on to describe how time has affected him personally, saying, "I have known the inexorable sadness of pencils, / Neat in their boxes, dolor of pad and paperweight, / All the misery of manilla folders and mucilage, / Desolation in immaculate public places."
Here, Berryman uses a series of metaphors to describe the mundane aspects of life that are often overlooked. The pencils, pad, paperweight, manilla folders, and mucilage are all symbols of the routine and monotony of everyday life. The speaker's use of the word "desolation" suggests that these things are not just boring, but also depressing and soul-crushing. The "immaculate public places" further emphasize the idea that even in the most pristine and perfect environments, there is still a sense of emptiness and loneliness.
The next stanza of the poem shifts focus to the speaker's relationship with his father. He says, "And I have seen madness with her hanging face, / I have eaten mangos off the sunless floor / And heard my mother's voice / Made strange by the silence of the stars." Here, Berryman is exploring the idea of familial relationships and how they are impacted by time. The speaker's father is described as being "madness with her hanging face," which suggests that he is a source of pain and suffering for the speaker. The mangos on the sunless floor are a symbol of decay and the passing of time, while the mother's voice being "made strange by the silence of the stars" suggests that even the most familiar things can become foreign and distant over time.
The final stanza of the poem brings the focus back to the theme of time. The speaker says, "I have dreamed a green, / Red, and gold dream / Of Kansas nights and Barbizon days, / Of London streets and Paris avenues." Here, Berryman is suggesting that time is not just a force that causes pain and suffering, but also a source of beauty and wonder. The speaker's dreams of different places and times suggest that even though time may cause wounds, it also has the power to transport us to new and exciting places.
Overall, Dream Song 51: Our wounds to time, from all the other times is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores the theme of time and its impact on human life. Berryman's use of vivid imagery and metaphors creates a sense of depth and complexity that makes this poem a masterpiece of modern poetry. The poem's message is clear: time is a force that can cause pain and suffering, but it is also a source of beauty and wonder. By exploring both sides of this theme, Berryman has created a poem that is both powerful and uplifting, and that will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.
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