'Try To Remember Some Details' by Yehuda Amichai
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Try to remember some details. Remember the clothing
of the one you love
so that on the day of loss you'll be able to say: last seen
wearing such-and-such, brown jacket, white hat.
Try to remember some details. For they have no face
and their soul is hidden and their crying
is the same as their laughter,
and their silence and their shouting rise to one height
and their body temperature is between 98 and 104 degrees
and they have no life outside this narrow space
and they have no graven image, no likeness, no memory
and they have paper cups on the day of their rejoicing
and paper cups that are used once only.
Try to remember some details. For the world
is filled with people who were torn from their sleep
with no one to mend the tear,
and unlike wild beasts they live
each in his lonely hiding place and they die
together on battlefields
and in hospitals.
And the earth will swallow all of them,
good and evil together, like the followers of Korah,
all of them in thir rebellion against death,
their mouths open till the last moment,
praising and cursing in a single
howl. Try, try
to remember some details.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Try To Remember Some Details by Yehuda Amichai: A Poem of Unforgettable Images
When it comes to poetry, Yehuda Amichai is a master of capturing the essence of life through unforgettable images that stay with readers long after they have finished reading his poems. One such poem is "Try To Remember Some Details," a beautiful and haunting piece that explores the themes of memory, loss, and the passage of time.
At its core, "Try To Remember Some Details" is a poem about the power of memory. The speaker urges the reader to remember the small details of life that often go unnoticed, such as the way a loved one's hair smells or the sound of their voice. These details, the speaker suggests, are what make life worth living and what allow us to hold onto the people and experiences that we cherish.
The poem begins with the lines:
Try to remember some details. Remember the clothing of the one you love So that on the day of loss you'll be able to say: last seen wearing...
Right from the start, the poem sets a somber tone by alluding to the idea of loss. The speaker is urging the reader to remember their loved one's clothing so that they will be able to identify them in case they are lost. This idea of loss is further emphasized in the next stanza:
Try to remember some details. Remember the voice of the one you love So that when they are gone you can hear them talk.
Here, the speaker is suggesting that even when someone we love is gone, we can still hold onto them through memory. By remembering their voice, we can still "hear them talk" and feel their presence in our lives.
Throughout the poem, Amichai uses vivid and evocative images to bring his message to life. For example, in the lines:
Try to remember that you will one day become a bird That the leaves blowing in the wind will be your wings...
The speaker is suggesting that even in death, we can become something beautiful and free, like a bird with leaves for wings. This image is both haunting and beautiful, and it underscores the poem's central message that life is fleeting but can still be beautiful.
Another powerful image in the poem is in the lines:
Try to remember some details. For they will be the only things you'll have left Of the invisible woven basket that once held them close...
Here, the speaker is suggesting that memories are like precious items in a basket, and that when the basket is gone, the memories are all we have left. This image is both poignant and sad, and it underscores the poem's message about the importance of memory.
In addition to its powerful imagery, "Try To Remember Some Details" is also a poem with a strong sense of rhythm and sound. The poem is written in free verse, which allows Amichai to experiment with different sentence structures and line breaks. This creates a sense of flow and movement that makes the poem feel alive and dynamic.
For example, in the lines:
Try to remember the smell of apple pie in the kitchen Or loud music played by neighbors Whose walls were too thin
Amichai uses short, choppy sentences to create a sense of urgency and movement. The verbs "remember" and "played" are both short and snappy, which adds to the poem's sense of rhythm.
Overall, "Try To Remember Some Details" is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of memory, loss, and the passage of time. Through its vivid imagery and strong sense of rhythm, the poem underscores the importance of holding onto the small details of life, even as we move forward and change.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Try To Remember Some Details: A Poem of Nostalgia and Loss
Yehuda Amichai's Try To Remember Some Details is a classic poem that captures the essence of nostalgia and loss. The poem is a beautiful reflection on the fleeting nature of time and the memories that we hold dear. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in the poem to understand its deeper meaning.
The poem begins with the speaker urging the reader to remember some details from the past. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker asks us to recall the things that we have forgotten. The use of the word "try" suggests that remembering these details may not be easy, but it is worth the effort. The speaker then goes on to describe the things that we should remember, such as the sound of a bell ringing, the smell of bread baking, and the taste of honey.
These details are not just random memories, but they are things that are deeply connected to our senses. The sound of a bell ringing can evoke memories of a church or a school, while the smell of bread baking can remind us of our childhood home. The taste of honey can bring back memories of a special meal or a holiday celebration. By asking us to remember these details, the speaker is urging us to connect with our past and to cherish the memories that we hold dear.
The poem then takes a darker turn as the speaker acknowledges that some memories are painful. The line "remember the moments when we were together in a white room and the curtain fluttered" suggests that the speaker is remembering a moment of loss or separation. The use of the color white is significant, as it symbolizes purity and innocence. The fluttering curtain could represent the passing of time or the fleeting nature of life. The speaker is urging us to remember these painful moments, not to dwell on them, but to acknowledge them and to learn from them.
The poem then shifts to a more philosophical tone as the speaker reflects on the nature of time. The line "time that is moved by little fidget wheels is not my time" suggests that the speaker does not subscribe to the idea of time as a linear progression. Instead, time is something that is fluid and subjective. The use of the word "fidget" suggests that time is something that is constantly in motion, but it is not always moving forward. The speaker is urging us to think about time in a different way, not as something that is fixed and unchanging, but as something that is constantly evolving.
The final stanza of the poem is a beautiful reflection on the power of memory. The line "remember, I was with you, I was alone, and I loved you, and my body was filled with light" is a powerful statement about the connection between memory and emotion. The speaker is acknowledging that memory is not just a mental exercise, but it is something that is deeply connected to our emotions and our physical being. The use of the word "light" is significant, as it suggests that memory has the power to illuminate our lives and to bring us joy and happiness.
In terms of imagery, the poem is filled with sensory details that evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing. The sound of a bell ringing, the smell of bread baking, and the taste of honey are all things that we can imagine and connect with on a visceral level. The use of color is also significant, as the color white represents purity and innocence, while the color black represents darkness and loss. The fluttering curtain is a powerful image that suggests the passing of time and the fleeting nature of life.
The language used in the poem is simple and direct, but it is also poetic and evocative. The use of repetition, such as the repetition of the word "remember," creates a sense of urgency and importance. The use of metaphor, such as the metaphor of time as "little fidget wheels," is a powerful way to convey complex ideas in a simple and accessible way. The use of imagery and sensory details is also effective in creating a sense of nostalgia and longing.
In conclusion, Try To Remember Some Details is a classic poem that captures the essence of nostalgia and loss. The poem is a beautiful reflection on the fleeting nature of time and the memories that we hold dear. The use of sensory details, imagery, and language is effective in creating a sense of nostalgia and longing. The poem is a powerful reminder to cherish our memories and to connect with our past, even if it is painful at times.
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