'The Breath Of Night' by Randall Jarrell
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The moon rises. The red cubs rolling
In the ferns by the rotten oak
Stare over a marsh and a meadow
To the farm's white wisp of smoke.
A spark burns, high in heaven.
Deer thread the blossoming rows
Of the old orchard, rabbits
Hop by the well-curb. The cock crows
From the tree by the widow's walk;
Two stars in the trees to the west,
Are snared, and an owl's soft cry
Runs like a breath through the forest.
Here too, though death is hushed, though joy
Obscures, like night, their wars,
The beings of this world are swept
By the Strife that moves the stars.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Breath Of Night: A Masterpiece Of Poetic Expression
When we think of poetry, we often think of it as an art form that captures the beauty of nature, expresses deep emotions, or tells a story. But what if poetry could also evoke a sense of mystery and surrealism, transporting us to a dreamlike world where the lines between reality and imagination blur? That's exactly what Randall Jarrell achieves in his haunting and mesmerizing poem, "The Breath of Night."
At its core, "The Breath of Night" is a meditation on the fleeting nature of existence and the inevitability of death. But unlike many poems that tackle this theme with somberness and solemnity, Jarrell infuses his work with a sense of wonder and magic. He invites us to look beyond the physical world and glimpse the hidden realities that lie beyond our perception.
The poem opens with a vivid and striking image:
"The moon rises. The red cubs rolling In the ferns by the rotten oak Stir restless, like people In a strange room at night. The moon rises ..."
From the very first lines, Jarrell sets the scene with a sense of foreboding. The moon, a symbol of mystery and enchantment, rises in the sky, casting an otherworldly glow on the landscape below. But it's the image of the "red cubs rolling in the ferns" that gives us a sense of unease. Why are they restless? What do they sense that we don't? And why does Jarrell compare them to people in a strange room at night? Is he suggesting that we are all lost souls, searching for meaning and purpose in a world that doesn't make sense?
As the poem continues, Jarrell takes us on a journey through a landscape that seems at once familiar and alien. We see "the great owls / Move like stained glass in the trees," and hear "the night jars / Pierce the dark with their shrill, sad cries." We see "the stars / Cluster, glitter and go out," and feel "the wind's hand / Touch our face; but when we stir / We only smell the damp earth, / The grassy smell of the night."
What makes Jarrell's language so powerful is its ability to evoke multiple sensations and emotions at once. We can feel the chill of the wind on our skin, smell the earthy scent of the grass, and see the shimmering stars above us. But we also sense a deeper, more intangible world lurking beneath the surface. A world where owls move like stained glass, and night jars cry out in sorrow.
One of the most striking passages in the poem comes near the end, when Jarrell describes a "black swan" that "swims / With breathing wings" in a "still pool." The imagery here is breathtakingly beautiful, but it's also tinged with sadness and longing. The black swan, with its "breathing wings," seems to embody the fragility and transience of life. It's a reminder that all things must come to an end, and that even the most beautiful and graceful creatures are subject to the ravages of time.
But what makes "The Breath of Night" so powerful is not just its imagery, but its use of language and structure to create a sense of dreamlike unreality. The poem is structured as a series of short, fragmented lines, each containing a single image or idea. This gives the poem a sense of disjointedness, as if we're moving through a series of disconnected snapshots rather than a coherent narrative. But this fragmentation also allows Jarrell to create a sense of unpredictability and surprise. We never know what image or idea will come next, and each one seems to lead us deeper into the mysterious world of the poem.
At the same time, Jarrell's language is rich with paradox and contradiction. We see "the moon, like a dead face," and "the wind's hand / Touch our face; but when we stir / We only smell the damp earth." These paradoxes create a sense of disorientation and uncertainty, as if the poem is challenging us to question our assumptions about the world.
In conclusion, "The Breath of Night" is a masterpiece of poetic expression. It's a haunting, mesmerizing work that transports us to a dreamlike world of mystery and surrealism. With its vivid imagery, rich language, and fragmented structure, it invites us to explore the hidden depths of our own consciousness, and to confront the inevitability of our own mortality. It's a work that deserves to be read and reread, savored and contemplated, by anyone who appreciates the power and beauty of poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Breath of Night: A Poem of Profound Reflection
Randall Jarrell's "The Breath of Night" is a poem that captures the essence of human existence and the fleeting nature of life. The poem is a reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. It is a poignant reminder that life is short and that we must make the most of the time we have.
The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of life. The first stanza is a description of the night sky. The second stanza is a reflection on the nature of life, while the third stanza is a meditation on death.
The first stanza sets the scene for the poem. It describes the night sky as a vast expanse of darkness, punctuated by the twinkling of stars. The imagery is powerful and evocative, and it creates a sense of awe and wonder. The night sky is a symbol of the infinite, and it reminds us of our own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
The second stanza is a reflection on the nature of life. Jarrell uses the metaphor of a candle to describe life. He writes, "Life's little, lit candle / Throws up a flickering beam." The candle represents the fragility of life and the fleeting nature of our existence. The flickering beam represents the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. We never know what the future holds, and we must make the most of the time we have.
The stanza goes on to describe the various stages of life. Jarrell writes, "Childhood is the bough where / Sorrow sits in its other birds." This line is a reference to the innocence of childhood and the fact that even in childhood, there is sorrow. The line "Youth is the fretful, middle-aged / Man the bitten apple" is a metaphor for the disillusionment that often comes with age. The bitten apple represents the loss of innocence and the realization that life is not always what we thought it would be.
The third stanza is a meditation on death. Jarrell writes, "Death is the mother of beauty." This line is a reference to the fact that death gives meaning to life. Without death, life would be meaningless. The stanza goes on to describe the beauty of death. Jarrell writes, "Only the perishable / Can make us know / Forgetting, we forget / And in forgetting, we are lost." This line is a reminder that death is a part of life, and that we must embrace it in order to truly appreciate the beauty of life.
Overall, "The Breath of Night" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem. It reminds us of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of making the most of the time we have. It is a reminder that death is a part of life, and that we must embrace it in order to truly appreciate the beauty of life. Jarrell's use of metaphor and imagery is masterful, and the poem is a testament to his skill as a poet.
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