'When I Wrote A Little' by Hayden Carruth

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poem in the ancient mode for you
that was musical and had old words

in it such as would never do in
the academies you loved it and you

said you did not know how to thank
me and in truth this is a problem

for who can ever be grateful enough
for poetry but i said you thank me

every day and every night wordlessly
which you really do although again

in truth it is a problem for how can
life ever be consonant with spirit

yet we are human and are naturally
hungry for gratitude yes we need it

and never have enough oh my dear i
think these problems are always with

us and in reality have no solutions
except when we wash them away on

salty tides of loving as we rock in
the dark sure sea of our existence


Anonymous submission.

Editor 1 Interpretation

When I Wrote A Little: A Deep Dive into Hayden Carruth's Classic Poem

Have you ever read a poem that is so simple yet so profound? A poem that carries so much meaning in just a few lines? Well, I recently stumbled upon such a gem - When I Wrote A Little by Hayden Carruth. At first glance, the poem may seem like a simple recollection of the poet's past, but upon closer examination, it reveals a profound message about the nature of creativity and the meaning of life.

Background

Before we dive into the poem itself, we must first understand the context in which it was written. Hayden Carruth was an American poet and literary critic who lived from 1921 to 2008. He was known for his works that explored social and political issues, as well as the complexities of the human experience.

When I Wrote A Little was published in Carruth's 1994 collection Scrambled Eggs & Whiskey. The collection was a reflection of Carruth's life and experiences, and When I Wrote A Little was no exception.

The Poem

So, what does When I Wrote A Little actually say? Let's take a look:

When I wrote a little
poem some years ago
about my childhood,
all that I had lost
and gained, I was
completely unaware
that I was writing
about my life.

At first glance, the poem seems to be a simple recollection of the poet's past. He wrote a poem about his childhood, and through it, he reflects on what he had lost and gained. However, as the poem continues, we realize that there is much more to it than just a nostalgic reflection.

I thought I was writing
about the past, as we
say, but actually
I was writing about
the present, my self,
my life, which is all
I have and all I can
ever have, here,
now, in this one day,
this one moment,
this one poor poem.

Here, Carruth reveals the true meaning of his poem. He thought he was writing about the past, but he was actually writing about the present - his self and his life. He realizes that all he has, and all he can ever have, is the present moment, and this realization is reflected in his poem.

The final lines of the poem bring everything together:

And yet, strange as it seems,
that little poem, all
that I was able to
make from my life,
now belongs to the ages,
which is another way
of saying
the present moment,
the eternal moment
which is all we have.

Carruth's little poem, which he thought was just a reflection on his past, now belongs to the ages. It has transcended time and become something greater than just a recollection of the past. It is a reflection of the present moment, the eternal moment that is all we have.

Analysis

So, what does it all mean? To me, When I Wrote A Little is a meditation on the nature of creativity and the meaning of life. Carruth realizes that his little poem, which he thought was just a reflection on the past, is actually a reflection of the present moment. He comes to the realization that all he has, and all he can ever have, is the present moment, and this realization is reflected in his poem.

The poem also speaks to the idea that all art is a reflection of the artist's life. When we create something, we are creating a reflection of ourselves, our experiences, and our worldview. In this way, our art becomes a reflection of the present moment, the eternal moment that is all we have.

Finally, the poem speaks to the idea that our creations can transcend time and become something greater than ourselves. Carruth's little poem, which he thought was just a reflection on the past, now belongs to the ages. It has transcended time and become something greater than just a recollection of the past. It is a reflection of the present moment, the eternal moment that is all we have.

Conclusion

In conclusion, When I Wrote A Little is a simple yet profound poem that speaks to the nature of creativity and the meaning of life. Through his little poem, Carruth realizes that all he has, and all he can ever have, is the present moment, and this realization is reflected in his art. The poem also speaks to the idea that all art is a reflection of the artist's life and that our creations can transcend time and become something greater than ourselves. Overall, When I Wrote A Little is a beautiful poem that reminds us of the power of art to reflect the present moment and transcend time.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

When I Wrote A Little: A Masterpiece of Simplicity and Nostalgia

Hayden Carruth's poem "When I Wrote A Little" is a beautiful and poignant reflection on the power of memory and the passage of time. With its simple language and evocative imagery, the poem captures the essence of childhood and the bittersweet experience of growing up.

The poem begins with the speaker recalling a time when he was young and used to write "a little" - a phrase that suggests both the modesty of his efforts and the innocence of his youth. The act of writing, in this context, is not just a creative outlet but a way of capturing and preserving the fleeting moments of childhood. The speaker's use of the past tense ("when I wrote") suggests that this time is long gone and that he is now looking back on it with a mixture of nostalgia and regret.

The second stanza of the poem introduces the theme of time and its inevitable passage. The speaker describes how the things he used to write about - "the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea" - are still there, but that they have changed in some fundamental way. The sun is "older," the moon is "more remote," the stars are "fainter," and the sea is "deeper." These changes are not just physical but emotional, as the speaker realizes that his own relationship to these things has also changed. He is no longer the carefree child who wrote about them with wonder and awe, but an adult who has lost some of that innocence and wonder.

The third stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as the speaker reflects on the way that memory can both preserve and distort the past. He describes how he can still remember the things he used to write about - "the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea" - but that they are now "tinged with sadness." This sadness is not just a result of the changes in the natural world but of the speaker's own awareness of his mortality and the passing of time. He realizes that the things he used to write about are now "farther away" than they were before, both in space and in time.

The final stanza of the poem brings the theme of memory full circle, as the speaker reflects on the way that his own writing has become a kind of memory in itself. He describes how he can still remember the words he wrote as a child, even though they are now "faint and blurred." This memory is not just a personal one but a cultural one, as the poem itself becomes a kind of artifact of the past. The final lines of the poem - "I wrote a little then. / And now I write a little more." - suggest that the act of writing is a way of both preserving and transcending the past, as the speaker continues to create new memories and experiences even as he looks back on the ones that have already passed.

Overall, "When I Wrote A Little" is a masterpiece of simplicity and nostalgia. Through its evocative language and imagery, the poem captures the essence of childhood and the bittersweet experience of growing up. It reminds us that even as we age and change, we can still hold onto the memories and experiences that make us who we are. And it encourages us to keep writing, to keep creating, and to keep exploring the world around us, even as it changes and evolves over time.

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