'Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13' by John Berryman
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In the night-reaches dreamed he of better graces,
of liberations, and beloved faces,
such as now ere dawn he sings.
It would not be easy, accustomed to these things,
to give up the old world, but he could try;
let it all rest, have a good cry.
Let Randall rest, whom your self-torturing
cannot restore one instant's good to, rest:
he's left us now.
The panic died and in the panic's dying
so did my old friend. I am headed west
also, also, somehow.
In the chambers of the end we'll meet again
I will say Randall, he'll say Pussycat
and all will be as before
whenas we sought, among the beloved faces,
eminence and were dissatisfied with that
and needed more.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 by John Berryman
Introduction
Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 is a posthumously published poem by John Berryman, one of the most significant poets of the 20th century. Berryman's poetry is known for its confessional style, experimental techniques, and complex persona. Dream Song 90 is no exception. This poem is a part of "The Dream Songs," Berryman's most famous work, which consists of 385 poems that explore the inner life of Henry, a persona that Berryman created to represent himself.
Interpretation
Dream Song 90 is a difficult poem to interpret because of its enigmatic language and fragmented structure. The poem consists of five stanzas, each containing six lines. The lines do not have a fixed meter or rhyme scheme, and the punctuation is sparse. The poem opens with an image of a "shimmering house," which can be read as a metaphor for the self. The house is "uninhabitable," suggesting that the speaker feels disconnected from himself. The phrase "swept bare" evokes a sense of emptiness, and the "shrill" sound of "the door" indicates a sense of anxiety or fear.
The second stanza introduces the image of the "blue-eyed girl," who seems to represent a lost love or a missed opportunity. The speaker describes her as "drowned" and "crushed," suggesting that he feels responsible for her suffering. The phrase "I cannot touch her" emphasizes the speaker's sense of distance and separation from the girl.
The third stanza introduces a new image, that of the "one-eyed king." This image is likely a reference to the Greek myth of the Cyclops, a one-eyed giant who was defeated by Odysseus. The one-eyed king can be read as a symbol of power and domination, but also of vulnerability and weakness. The speaker seems to identify with the one-eyed king, who is "alone" and "in pain."
The fourth stanza introduces the image of the "hurting boy," who seems to represent the speaker's younger self. The speaker describes the boy as "starving," suggesting a sense of neglect or deprivation. The phrase "no one to nourish him" emphasizes the speaker's sense of abandonment and isolation.
The final stanza brings together all the images from the previous stanzas. The speaker describes himself as a "cold-hearted wizard," suggesting a sense of detachment and power. The phrase "I am all of them" emphasizes the idea that the speaker contains multitudes, that he is both the house, the girl, the king, and the boy. The final line of the poem, "and their numbers are legion," suggests that the speaker's fragmented self is vast and infinite.
Literary Criticism
Dream Song 90 is a masterful example of Berryman's confessional style. Berryman's poetry is known for its autobiographical content, its use of vernacular language, and its innovative form. Berryman's confessional style influenced a generation of poets, including Robert Lowell and Sylvia Plath.
The Dream Songs, of which Dream Song 90 is a part, is a complex and layered work that explores the psyche of the speaker. Berryman's use of the persona, Henry, allows him to explore his own personal experiences without being limited by the constraints of autobiography. Henry is a fragmented and multi-dimensional character who embodies the contradictions and complexities of the human experience.
Berryman's use of fragmented language and form in Dream Song 90 is a reflection of the speaker's fragmented psyche. The poem is composed of disjointed images and phrases that create a sense of disorientation and anxiety. The lack of punctuation and the absence of a fixed meter or rhyme scheme add to the sense of instability and uncertainty.
The image of the "shimmering house" in Dream Song 90 is a recurring motif throughout The Dream Songs. The house represents the self, but also the body, the mind, and the soul. The image of the "blue-eyed girl" is also a recurring motif in The Dream Songs. The girl represents a lost love or a missed opportunity, but also a sense of innocence and purity.
The image of the "one-eyed king" is a reference to the Greek myth of the Cyclops, but it can also be read as a metaphor for power and vulnerability. The one-eyed king is both a symbol of strength and a representation of weakness. The image of the "hurting boy" is a representation of the speaker's younger self, but also a symbol of neglect and isolation.
The final stanza of Dream Song 90 brings together all the images from the previous stanzas to create a sense of wholeness and unity. The speaker, who previously felt fragmented and disconnected from himself, now identifies with all the images in the poem. The final line, "and their numbers are legion," suggests that the speaker's fragmented self is vast and infinite.
Conclusion
Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 is a powerful and enigmatic poem that explores the psyche of the speaker. Berryman's confessional style, innovative form, and use of the persona, Henry, make this poem a masterful example of 20th-century poetry. The poem's use of fragmented language and imagery creates a sense of disorientation and anxiety, and the final stanza brings together all the images from the previous stanzas to create a sense of wholeness and unity. Dream Song 90 is a remarkable achievement in the world of poetry, and it continues to influence and inspire readers and writers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 is a classic poem written by John Berryman, an American poet known for his unique style and use of language. This poem is one of the many Dream Songs that Berryman wrote, and it is considered to be one of his most famous works. In this analysis, we will take a closer look at the poem and explore its meaning, themes, and literary devices.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing his friend, Henry, who is the protagonist of the Dream Songs. The speaker tells Henry that he has been dreaming about him and that he is worried about him. The speaker says that Henry is "in the hands of a great power" and that he is "afraid for you." This opening sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is filled with a sense of unease and anxiety.
The next stanza of the poem is where the speaker begins to describe the dream he had about Henry. The dream takes place in a hospital, and Henry is lying in a bed, hooked up to machines. The speaker describes the scene in vivid detail, using language that is both poetic and unsettling. He says that Henry is "wired up like a Christmas tree" and that he is "pale as a sheet." The use of these metaphors creates a sense of tension and fear, as if something terrible is about to happen.
As the poem continues, the speaker begins to reflect on his relationship with Henry. He says that they have been friends for a long time, but that he has always felt a sense of distance between them. He says that Henry is "a stranger to me" and that he "never knew you well." This sense of distance and alienation is a recurring theme in Berryman's Dream Songs, and it adds to the overall sense of unease in the poem.
The final stanza of the poem is where the speaker reveals the true meaning behind the dream. He says that Henry is not actually in a hospital, but that he is "in the hands of death." The speaker says that he is "afraid for you" because he knows that Henry is dying. This revelation is both shocking and heartbreaking, and it adds a layer of depth to the poem that is not immediately apparent.
One of the most striking things about Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 is the way that Berryman uses language to create a sense of unease and tension. He uses metaphors and imagery that are both beautiful and unsettling, such as "wired up like a Christmas tree" and "pale as a sheet." This creates a sense of dissonance that adds to the overall feeling of anxiety in the poem.
Another important theme in the poem is the idea of distance and alienation. The speaker says that he has always felt a sense of distance between himself and Henry, even though they have been friends for a long time. This theme is explored in many of Berryman's Dream Songs, and it speaks to the idea that even our closest relationships can sometimes feel distant and disconnected.
Finally, the poem is a meditation on death and mortality. The speaker is afraid for Henry because he knows that he is dying, and this fear is palpable throughout the poem. Berryman uses language and imagery to create a sense of impending doom, as if death is lurking just around the corner.
In conclusion, Dream Song 90: Op. posth. no. 13 is a powerful and haunting poem that explores themes of distance, alienation, and mortality. Berryman's use of language and imagery creates a sense of unease and tension that is both beautiful and unsettling. This poem is a testament to Berryman's skill as a poet and his ability to capture the complexities of the human experience.
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