'Koening Of The River' by Derek Walcott
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Koening knew now there was no one on the river.
Entering its brown mouth choking with lilies
and curtained with midges, Koenig poled the shallop
past the abandoned ferry and the ferry piles
coated with coal dust. Staying aboard, he saw, up
in a thick meadow, a sand-colored mule,
untethered, with no harness, and no signs
of habitation round the ruined factory wheel
locked hard in rust, and through whose spokes the vines
of wild yam leaves leant from overweight;
the wild bananas in the yellowish sunlight
were dugged like aching cows with unmilked fruit.
This was the last of the productive mines.
Only the vegetation here looked right.
A crab of pain scuttled shooting up his foot
and fastened on his neck, at the brain's root.
He felt his reason curling back like parchment
in this fierce torpor. Well, he no longer taxed
and tired what was left of his memory;
he should thank heaven he had escaped the sea,
and anyway, he had demanded to be sent
here with the others - why get this river vexed
with his complaints? Koenig wanted to sing,
suddenly, if only to keep the river company -
this was a river, and Koenig, his name meant King.
They had all caught the missionary fever:
they were prepared to expiate the sins
os savages, to tame them as he would tame this river
subtly, as it flowed, accepting its bends;
he had seen how other missionaries met their ends -
swinging in the wind, like a dead clapper when
a bell is broken, if that sky was a bell -
for treating savages as if they were men,
and frightening them with talk of Heaven and Hell.
But I have forgotten our journey's origins,
mused Koenig, and our purpose. He knew it was noble,
based on some phrase, forgotten, from the Bible,
but he felt bodiless, like a man stumbling from
the pages of a novel, not a forest,
written a hundred years ago. He stroked his uniform,
clogged with the hooked burrs that had tried
to pull him, like the other drowning hands whom
his panic abandoned. The others had died,
like real men, by death. I, Koenig, am a ghost,
ghost-king of rivers. Well, even ghosts must rest.
If he knew he was lost he was not lost.
It was when you pretended that you were a fool.
He banked and leaned tiredly on the pole.
If I'm a character called Koenig, then I
shall dominate my future like a fiction
in which there is a real river and real sky,
so I'm not really tired, and should push on.
The lights between the leaves were beautiful,
and, as in that far life, now he was grateful
for any pool of light between the dull, usual
clouds of life: a sunspot haloed his tonsure;
silver and copper coins danced on the river;
his head felt warm - the light danced on his skull
like a benediction. Koenig closed his eyes,
and he felt blessed. It made direction sure.
He leant on the pole. He must push on some more.
He said his name. His voice sounded German,
then he said "river", but what was German
if he alone could hear it? Ich spreche Deutsch
sounded as genuine as his name in English,
Koenig in Deutsch, and, in English, King.
Did the river want to be called anything?
He asked the river. The river said nothing.
Around the bend the river poured its silver
like some remorseful mine, giving and giving
everything green and white: white sky, white
water, and the dull green like a drumbeat
of the slow-sliding forest, the green heat;
then, on some sandbar, a mirage ahead:
fabric of muslin sails, spiderweb rigging,
a schooner, foundered on black river mud,
was rising slowly up from the riverbed,
and a top-hatted native reading an inverted
newspaper.
"Where's our Queen?" Koenig shouted.
"Where's our Kaiser?"
The nigger disappeared.
Koenig felt that he himself was being read
like the newspaper or a hundred-year-old novel.
"The Queen dead! Kaiser dead!" the voices shouted.
And it flashed through him those trunks were not wood
but that the ghosts of slaughtered Indians stood
there in the mangrroves, their eyes like fireflies
in the green dark, and that like hummingbirds
they sailed rather than ran between the trees.
The river carried him past his shouted words.
The schooner had gone down without a trace.
"There was a time when we ruled everything,"
Koenig sang to his corrugated white reflection.
"The German Eagle and the British Lion,
we ruled worlds wider than this river flows,
worlds with dyed elephants, with tassled howdahs,
tigers that carried the striped shade when they rose
from their palm coverts; men shall not see these days
again; our flags sank with the sunset on the dhows
of Egypt; we ruled rivers as huge as the Nile,
the Ganges, and the Congo, we tamed, we ruled
you when our empires reached their blazing peak."
This was a small creek somewhere in the world,
never mind where - victory was in sight.
Koenig laughed and spat in the brown creek.
The mosquitoes now were singing to the night
that rose up from the river, the fog uncurled
under the mangroves. Koenig clenched each fist
around his barge-pole scepter, as a mist
rises from the river and the page goes white.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Koenig of the River: A Literary Analysis
Derek Walcott's "Koenig of the River" is a lyrical and deeply moving poem that explores themes of identity, power, and the relationship between man and nature. At its core, the poem is a meditation on what it means to be human in a world that is both beautiful and dangerous, and the ways in which we seek to assert control over the natural world around us.
Form and Structure
The poem is written in free verse, with no discernible rhyme scheme or meter. This allows Walcott to create a fluid and organic structure that mirrors the ebb and flow of the river itself. The poem is divided into four stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of the river and its relationship to the speaker.
The first stanza introduces the reader to the river and sets the stage for the rest of the poem. The second stanza delves deeper into the speaker's relationship with the river, exploring his feelings of awe and reverence towards the natural world. The third stanza introduces the figure of Koenig, a powerful mythological being who embodies the river's strength and majesty. Finally, the fourth stanza brings the poem to a close, leaving the reader with a sense of wonder and awe at the power of nature.
Themes
One of the central themes of "Koenig of the River" is the relationship between man and nature. Throughout the poem, Walcott explores the ways in which humans seek to assert control over the natural world, and the consequences of such actions. The speaker is acutely aware of his own smallness in the face of the river's vastness, and the poem is imbued with a sense of humility and awe towards the natural world.
Another key theme of the poem is power. Koenig, the mythological figure who embodies the river's strength and majesty, is presented as a figure of immense power and authority. Yet even he is ultimately subject to the forces of nature, and the poem suggests that true power lies not in domination or control, but in the ability to surrender oneself to the natural world.
Interpretation
At its core, "Koenig of the River" is a deeply spiritual poem that explores the relationship between man and the divine. The river, with its ever-changing currents and infinite depths, is presented as a symbol of the divine, and the speaker's relationship with the river is one of reverence and awe. In this sense, the poem can be seen as a meditation on the beauty and power of the natural world, and the ways in which we seek to connect with something greater than ourselves.
At the same time, the poem is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of human hubris. The speaker is acutely aware of the ways in which humans seek to control and dominate the natural world, and the poem suggests that such actions ultimately lead to our own downfall. By contrast, the figure of Koenig embodies a more humble and reverential approach to the natural world, one that emphasizes the importance of surrendering oneself to the forces of nature rather than attempting to control them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Derek Walcott's "Koenig of the River" is a powerful and deeply moving poem that explores themes of identity, power, and the relationship between man and nature. Through its fluid structure and lyrical language, the poem captures the beauty and majesty of the natural world, while also cautioning against the dangers of human hubris. Ultimately, the poem leaves the reader with a sense of wonder and awe at the power of nature, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the world around us.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Koening Of The River: A Masterpiece of Poetry
Derek Walcott, the Nobel Prize-winning poet, is known for his exceptional ability to capture the essence of Caribbean life and culture in his works. One of his most celebrated poems, "Koening Of The River," is a prime example of his poetic genius. This poem is a beautiful and powerful tribute to the river and its significance in the Caribbean culture. In this analysis, we will explore the various themes and literary devices used in this poem and how they contribute to its overall meaning.
The poem begins with a description of the river as a powerful and majestic force. The opening lines, "The river is a dark, strong, and silent king," immediately set the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "king" suggests that the river is a dominant force that commands respect and admiration. The river is also described as "dark" and "strong," which emphasizes its power and mystery. This opening sets the stage for the rest of the poem, which explores the river's significance in Caribbean culture.
One of the main themes of the poem is the river's connection to the Caribbean people. Walcott describes the river as "the blood of the people," which suggests that the river is an essential part of their identity. The river is also described as "the pulse of the people," which emphasizes its importance in their daily lives. This theme is further developed in the second stanza, where Walcott describes the river as a source of life and nourishment. He writes, "The river is the mother of life, the giver of grain and fruit." This line suggests that the river is not only a physical source of sustenance but also a spiritual one. The river is a symbol of the Caribbean people's connection to their land and their ancestors.
Another theme of the poem is the river's connection to nature. Walcott describes the river as a "green-eyed monster," which suggests that it is a part of the natural world. The river is also described as "a serpent of the earth," which emphasizes its connection to the land. This theme is further developed in the third stanza, where Walcott describes the river's role in the natural cycle of life and death. He writes, "The river is the womb of the earth, from which all things are born, and to which all things return." This line suggests that the river is not only a physical part of nature but also a spiritual one. The river is a symbol of the natural world's power and mystery.
The poem also uses various literary devices to enhance its meaning. One of the most prominent devices used in the poem is imagery. Walcott uses vivid descriptions to create a powerful image of the river in the reader's mind. For example, he writes, "The river is a black bull, with a white head and a red heart." This line creates a striking image of the river as a powerful and majestic animal. The use of color also adds to the imagery of the poem. The river is described as "black," "green," and "red," which emphasizes its complexity and depth.
Another literary device used in the poem is repetition. Walcott repeats the phrase "the river is" throughout the poem, which emphasizes the river's importance and significance. This repetition also creates a sense of rhythm and flow, which mirrors the movement of the river itself. The use of repetition also adds to the poem's overall structure and organization.
The poem's structure is also significant. The poem is divided into four stanzas, each with four lines. This structure creates a sense of balance and symmetry, which mirrors the river's natural flow. The use of four lines in each stanza also creates a sense of unity and completeness. The poem's structure adds to its overall meaning and reinforces its themes.
In conclusion, "Koening Of The River" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of Caribbean life and culture. The poem explores the river's significance in Caribbean culture and its connection to nature. The use of imagery, repetition, and structure enhances the poem's meaning and reinforces its themes. This poem is a testament to Derek Walcott's poetic genius and his ability to capture the beauty and complexity of the Caribbean world.
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