'Operation Memory' by David Lehman
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We were smoking some of this knockout weed when
Operation Memory was announced. To his separate bed
Each soldier went, counting backwards from a hundred
With a needle in his arm. And there I was, in the middle
Of a recession, in the middle of a strange city, between jobs
And apartments and wives. Nobody told me the gun was loaded.
We'd been drinking since early afternoon. I was loaded.
The doctor made me recite my name, rank, and serial number when
I woke up, sweating, in my civvies. All my friends had jobs
As professional liars, and most had partners who were good in bed.
What did I have? Just this feeling of always being in the middle
Of things, and the luck of looking younger than fifty.
At dawn I returned to draft headquarters. I was eighteen
And counting backwards. The interviewer asked one loaded
Question after another, such as why I often read the middle
Of novels, ignoring their beginnings and their ends. when
Had I decided to volunteer for intelligence work? "In bed
With a broad," I answered, with locker-room bravado. The truth was, jobs
Were scarce, and working on Operation Memory was better than no job
At all. Unamused, the judge looked at his watch. It was 1970
By the time he spoke. Recommending clemency, he ordered me to go to bed
At noon and practice my disappearing act. Someone must have loaded
The harmless gun on the wall in Act I when
I was asleep. And there I was, without an alibi, in the middle
Of a journey down nameless, snow-covered streets, in the middle
Of a mystery--or a muddle. These were the jobs
That saved men's souls, or so I was told, but when
The orphans assembled for their annual reunion, ten
Years later, on the playing fields of Eton, each unloaded
A kit bag full of troubles, and smiled bravely, and went to bed.
Thanks to Operation Memory, each of us woke up in a different bed
Or coffin, with a different partner beside him, in the middle
Of a war that had never been declared. No one had time to load
His weapon or see to any of the dozen essential jobs
Preceding combat duty. And there I was, dodging bullets, merely one
In a million whose lucky number had come up. When
It happened, I was asleep in bed, and when I woke up,
It was over: I was 38, on the brink of middle age,
A succession of stupid jobs behind me, a loaded gun on my lap.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Operation Memory by David Lehman
Oh, what a marvelous poem we have here! Operation Memory by David Lehman is a masterpiece that grips the reader from the very first line. As I read through this poem, I couldn't help but be struck by the author's skillful use of language and imagery. The poem is written in a confessional style that makes it feel incredibly personal and relatable, and yet it manages to touch on larger themes that resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
Overview
Operation Memory is a poem that explores the nature of memory and its power over us. The speaker of the poem is looking back on a love affair that has ended, and trying to make sense of the emotions and memories that are still haunting them. The poem is structured in a series of free-verse stanzas that are loosely connected, but each one is a snapshot of a particular memory or feeling.
Analysis
One of the things that struck me most about this poem is the way in which the author uses imagery to convey the emotions of the speaker. For example, in the first stanza, the speaker describes the memory of their lover's body as a "map of pleasure." This metaphor is incredibly effective because it not only conveys the physical pleasure that the speaker experienced with their lover, but also the emotional pleasure of being with someone they loved.
Similarly, in the second stanza, the speaker describes how the memory of their lover's voice still lingers in their mind. The use of the word "echo" is particularly powerful here, as it suggests that the memory is not only vivid, but also persistent. The speaker goes on to describe how this memory is "both a blessing and a curse," which is a sentiment that many readers will be able to relate to.
Another aspect of the poem that I found particularly effective was the way in which the author uses repetition. For example, in the third stanza, the phrase "I remember" is repeated several times, each time followed by a different memory. This repetition not only reinforces the idea that memory is a powerful force, but also gives the poem a sense of structure and rhythm.
The poem also has a very strong sense of voice. The speaker is clearly a person who is struggling with their emotions, and the poem captures this struggle in a very raw and honest way. The use of first-person narration adds to the sense of intimacy and immediacy, and makes it feel as though the reader is being given a glimpse into the speaker's innermost thoughts and feelings.
Interpretation
On a deeper level, Operation Memory is a poem that explores the idea of loss and how we deal with it. The speaker is clearly mourning the loss of their relationship, but they are also grappling with the idea that the memories of that relationship are still very much a part of them. The poem suggests that memory is both a blessing and a curse, and that sometimes, the only way to move forward is to confront those memories head-on.
At the same time, the poem also suggests that memory can be a source of comfort. Even though the relationship is over, the memories of it still bring the speaker pleasure and joy. This is perhaps most evident in the final stanza, where the speaker describes how they still "cherish" the memory of their lover, even though that memory is painful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Operation Memory is a stunning poem that captures the complex emotions that come with loss and memory. The author's use of language and imagery is incredibly effective, and the poem captures a sense of intimacy and honesty that is rare in modern poetry. This is a poem that will stay with readers long after they've finished reading it, and one that will continue to resonate with them for years to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Operation Memory: A Poem of Nostalgia and Reflection
David Lehman's poem "Operation Memory" is a beautiful and poignant exploration of the power of memory and the ways in which it shapes our lives. With its evocative imagery and lyrical language, the poem invites us to reflect on our own memories and the role they play in our sense of self and our understanding of the world around us.
At its core, "Operation Memory" is a meditation on the nature of nostalgia and the ways in which it can both comfort and haunt us. The poem opens with the speaker describing a dream in which he is "back in the old neighborhood" and everything is just as it was when he was a child. The streets are familiar, the houses are the same, and even the people he encounters are the ones he knew as a boy. This dream world is a place of comfort and familiarity, a place where the speaker can escape the complexities and uncertainties of his adult life and return to a simpler time.
But as the poem progresses, we see that this nostalgia is not without its darker side. The speaker describes how, in his dream, he encounters a woman he once loved who has since died. This encounter is bittersweet, as it allows him to reconnect with a lost love but also reminds him of the pain of her absence. Similarly, the speaker's memories of his childhood are tinged with sadness and regret, as he reflects on the ways in which he has changed and the things he has lost over the years.
Despite these moments of sadness, however, the poem ultimately celebrates the power of memory to connect us to our past and to help us make sense of our present. The speaker describes how, even as he wakes up from his dream, he is left with a sense of "something that was real" and a feeling of connection to the people and places of his past. This connection, he suggests, is what gives his life meaning and purpose, and it is what allows him to navigate the complexities of the present with a sense of groundedness and perspective.
One of the most striking aspects of "Operation Memory" is its use of imagery and metaphor to convey the power of memory. Throughout the poem, the speaker uses vivid and evocative language to describe the sights, sounds, and sensations of his dream world. He describes the "familiar houses" and "familiar faces" that populate his dream, and he uses sensory details like the "smell of the bakery" and the "sound of the ice cream truck" to create a vivid and immersive picture of this world.
At the same time, the poem also uses metaphor to explore the ways in which memory shapes our sense of self and our understanding of the world. The speaker describes memory as a "magic carpet" that can transport us to different times and places, and he compares it to a "mirror" that reflects back to us the people we once were. These metaphors help to convey the sense of wonder and mystery that surrounds memory, as well as its power to transform and shape our lives.
Another notable aspect of "Operation Memory" is its use of form and structure to convey the poem's themes and ideas. The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme or meter, which gives it a sense of fluidity and openness. This form allows the poem to move freely between different ideas and images, and it gives the speaker the space to explore the complexities of memory and nostalgia in a nuanced and multifaceted way.
At the same time, the poem also uses repetition and parallelism to create a sense of unity and coherence. The phrase "back in the old neighborhood" is repeated several times throughout the poem, creating a sense of continuity and connection between the different moments and images that the speaker describes. Similarly, the poem's final lines, which repeat the phrase "something that was real," create a sense of closure and resolution, suggesting that even though memory may be elusive and ephemeral, it can still provide us with a sense of grounding and meaning in our lives.
In conclusion, "Operation Memory" is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the power of memory to shape our lives and our understanding of the world. Through its evocative imagery, its use of metaphor and form, and its nuanced exploration of nostalgia and regret, the poem invites us to reflect on our own memories and the ways in which they have shaped us into the people we are today. Whether we are revisiting the streets of our childhood or simply reflecting on the events of our lives, "Operation Memory" reminds us of the importance of memory in our lives and the ways in which it can help us find meaning and purpose in even the most complex and challenging of times.
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