'Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes.' by John Berryman
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His 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.
John Berryman's "Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes." is a complex and moving poem that explores the themes of loss, grief, and memory. The poem is part of Berryman's larger work, Dream Songs, which was published in 1964.
The Plot and Structure
The poem begins with the speaker recalling a dream that he had about his mother. In the dream, the mother is "going away" and the speaker is "frightened" by her sudden departure. The mother then comes back, but the speaker is left with a feeling of loss and sadness.
The structure of the poem is unique in that it consists of three stanzas, each with six lines. The first and third stanzas are written in a more traditional rhyming scheme, while the second stanza has a more experimental structure. The repetition of the phrase "the mother comes & goes" acts as a kind of refrain, reinforcing the sense of loss and confusion that the speaker is experiencing.
The Themes
One of the central themes of the poem is the idea of loss and grief. The speaker is mourning the loss of his mother, who has either died or left him in some way. This loss is compounded by the dream imagery, which adds an element of confusion and uncertainty to the speaker's emotions.
Another theme that runs throughout the poem is the idea of memory. The speaker is trying to hold onto the memories of his mother, but they seem to slip away from him. The dream imagery, with its surreal and disjointed quality, reflects the difficulty of holding onto memories and the way they can become distorted over time.
The Language
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is the language that Berryman uses. The language is often fragmented, with phrases and images that seem to come out of nowhere. This reflects the fractured nature of the speaker's emotions and the way that grief can disrupt our sense of order and coherence.
At the same time, there are moments of beauty and lyricism in the poem. The image of the mother "singing in tall cities" is particularly poignant, as it suggests a sense of joy and vitality that is now lost.
The Interpretation
"Dream Song 11" is a deeply personal and emotional poem, one that speaks to the universal experience of loss and grief. At the same time, it is a highly literary work, one that draws on a range of literary traditions and influences.
At its core, the poem is about the difficulty of holding onto memories and the pain of loss. The dream imagery, with its surreal and disjointed quality, reflects the way that memories can become distorted and fragmented over time.
At the same time, the poem is also about the power of language and poetry to capture and preserve memories. Berryman's use of fragmented language and experimental form reflects the way that grief can disrupt our sense of coherence and order, but it also suggests the capacity of language to evoke emotional truths that defy easy description.
The Conclusion
"Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes." is a moving and complex poem that explores the themes of loss, grief, memory, and language. The poem's unique structure and fragmented language reflect the speaker's emotional state and the difficulty of holding onto memories in the face of loss.
At the same time, the poem is also a testament to the power of language and poetry to capture and preserve memories. Through his use of language and form, Berryman suggests that even in the face of loss and grief, there is a way to articulate and preserve the emotional truths that define our lives.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes. 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. The poem is a reflection of the poet's personal experiences and emotions, and it explores the themes of loss, grief, and the complexities of human relationships.
The poem begins with the line "His mother goes." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a reflection on the loss of the poet's mother. The use of the word "goes" suggests that the mother has passed away, and the poet is left to deal with the aftermath of her death. The line is simple yet powerful, and it immediately draws the reader into the poem.
The next line, "The mother comes & goes," is a reflection on the complex nature of human relationships. The mother is not simply gone; she continues to exist in the memories and thoughts of the poet. The use of the word "comes" suggests that the mother is still present in some way, even though she is no longer physically there. This line also suggests that the poet is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his mother, and he is trying to find a way to reconcile her absence with her continued presence in his life.
The poem continues with the lines "The son's bright eyes are gone. / His mother comes and goes." These lines suggest that the poet's grief has affected him deeply, and he is struggling to find a way to move on from the loss of his mother. The use of the word "bright" to describe the son's eyes suggests that he was once full of life and energy, but the loss of his mother has left him feeling empty and lost. The repetition of the line "His mother comes and goes" emphasizes the ongoing struggle that the poet is facing as he tries to come to terms with his mother's death.
The next stanza of the poem begins with the line "The doctor thinks. / 'It is only indigestion, sir.'" This line is a reflection on the way that society often dismisses the grief and pain of those who have lost a loved one. The doctor's diagnosis of "indigestion" suggests that he is not taking the poet's grief seriously, and he is dismissing it as a minor ailment. This line highlights the way that society often fails to understand the depth of grief and loss, and it can be a lonely and isolating experience for those who are grieving.
The poem continues with the lines "You are just upset. / But they continue to lie." These lines suggest that the poet is frustrated with the way that society is dismissing his grief, and he is struggling to find a way to express his pain and sadness. The use of the word "lie" suggests that society is not being truthful about the nature of grief and loss, and it is perpetuating a false narrative that dismisses the pain and suffering of those who are grieving.
The final stanza of the poem begins with the line "The mother goes. / In a short time the father goes." This line suggests that the loss of the mother has a ripple effect on the rest of the family, and the father is also affected by her death. The use of the word "short" suggests that the father's death is imminent, and the poet is once again faced with the prospect of losing someone he loves.
The poem ends with the lines "Snow falls. / Years later he goes home / and she is gone / and he returns to die." These lines suggest that time has passed, and the poet has returned home to find that his mother is no longer there. The use of the word "gone" suggests that she has passed away, and the poet is once again faced with the pain of loss. The final line, "and he returns to die," suggests that the poet has come full circle, and he is now facing his own mortality. The use of the word "returns" suggests that he has come back to the place where he began, and he is now facing the same struggles and challenges that he faced when he first lost his mother.
In conclusion, Dream Song 11: His mother goes. The mother comes & goes. is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of loss, grief, and the complexities of human relationships. The poem is a reflection of the poet's personal experiences and emotions, and it speaks to the universal experience of loss and the struggle to come to terms with it. The use of simple yet powerful language and imagery creates a sense of intimacy and emotional depth that draws the reader into the poem and leaves a lasting impression.
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