'Twelve Years' by Paul Celan
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Die Niemandsrose1963The line
that remained, that
became true: . . . your
house in Paris -- become
the alterpiece of your hands.Breathed through thrice,
shone through thrice.
...................It's turning dumb, turning deaf
behind our eyes.
I see the poison flower
in all manner of words and shapes.Go. Come.
Love blots out its name: to
you it ascribes itself.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Twelve Years: An Enigmatic Journey into the Depths of Holocaust Trauma
Paul Celan's "Twelve Years" is not just a poem, but a journey into the depths of Holocaust trauma, a journey that is not easy to undertake, but once begun, it becomes a haunting experience that leaves an indelible mark on the reader's consciousness. The poem is just thirteen lines long, and yet it manages to convey a world of meaning that is both elusive and profound. Celan's language is dense and symbolic, requiring careful deconstruction and interpretation. However, once decoded, the poem reveals a stark and honest depiction of the Holocaust experience, one that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.
The poem begins with the words "Twelve years," a phrase that immediately evokes the twelve years of Nazi rule in Germany and the twelve years that Celan himself spent in various concentration camps during World War II. However, the "twelve years" mentioned in the poem could also refer to the twelve years of a person's life, a span of time that is often associated with the transition from childhood to adolescence. This double meaning creates a sense of ambiguity and complexity that is typical of Celan's style.
The next line of the poem reads, "It's been twelve years, your memory, like a stone." Here, Celan compares memory to a stone, an image that is at once powerful and enigmatic. The word "stone" suggests something that is unyielding and permanent, something that cannot be erased or forgotten. At the same time, however, a stone is also cold and lifeless, lacking the warmth and vitality of a human being. This double-edged quality of the stone image reflects the complex nature of memory itself. Memory can be both a source of strength and a burden that weighs heavily on the individual.
The following line of the poem reads, "A white stone that sees you turn grey." Here, Celan introduces the motif of whiteness, a symbol that recurs throughout the poem. Whiteness is often associated with purity and innocence, qualities that have been lost in the Holocaust. The white stone that sees the speaker turn grey could be seen as a metaphor for the loss of innocence and vitality that the speaker has experienced as a result of the Holocaust. The image of turning grey also suggests a loss of identity and individuality, as the speaker becomes one of many anonymous victims of the Nazi regime.
The fourth line of the poem reads, "The black book of your dying, open in my hands." Here, Celan introduces the image of the black book, a symbol that is often associated with death and mourning. The book is open in the speaker's hands, suggesting that he is bearing witness to the suffering and death of others. The use of the possessive pronoun "your" in this line also suggests that the speaker is holding the book on behalf of someone else, perhaps a loved one who has died in the Holocaust.
The fifth and sixth lines of the poem read, "Your life, like a felled tree, lies before me." Here, Celan uses the image of a felled tree to represent the loss of life that has occurred as a result of the Holocaust. The tree is a powerful symbol of life and growth, but when it is felled, it becomes lifeless and inert. The use of the word "lies" suggests that the speaker is looking down on the tree from a position of power, perhaps as a survivor of the Holocaust. The speaker's perspective is further emphasized by the use of the word "before," which suggests that the tree is a distant object that can be observed from a safe distance.
The seventh line of the poem reads, "And your mouth says no, no, and your heart says yes." Here, Celan uses the contrast between the mouth and the heart to create a sense of tension and conflict. The mouth, which is associated with speech and communication, is saying "no" to something, while the heart, which is associated with emotion and feeling, is saying "yes." This contrast suggests that the speaker is torn between two conflicting impulses, perhaps between the desire to forget the trauma of the Holocaust and the need to remember it.
The eighth and ninth lines of the poem read, "And your eyes say nothing, nothing. Because they see." Here, Celan uses the motif of seeing to explore the relationship between memory and trauma. The eyes, which are associated with sight and perception, are silent because they see too much. The image suggests that there are some things that are too painful to put into words, and that sometimes the most powerful form of communication is silence.
The tenth line of the poem reads, "Twelve years, and you still walk in your shadow." Here, Celan returns to the image of twelve years, suggesting that the trauma of the Holocaust has continued to haunt the speaker long after the end of the war. The use of the word "shadow" suggests that the speaker is living in the past, unable to fully confront the present. The image of walking in one's own shadow also suggests a sense of isolation and loneliness, as if the speaker is cut off from the rest of the world.
The eleventh and twelfth lines of the poem read, "It's not for me to say whether you are dead or alive." Here, Celan introduces an element of uncertainty and ambiguity, suggesting that the line between life and death is not always clear. The use of the phrase "It's not for me to say" suggests that the speaker is not in a position of authority, and that he is perhaps struggling to come to terms with his own mortality.
The final line of the poem reads, "I'm only saying: You're there." Here, Celan brings the poem full circle, returning to the image of memory as a stone. The use of the phrase "You're there" suggests that memory is not something that can be erased or forgotten, but is a permanent part of the individual's consciousness. The use of the word "only" also suggests a sense of humility and limitation, as if the speaker is acknowledging the enormity of the task at hand.
In conclusion, "Twelve Years" is a powerful and enigmatic poem that explores the complex relationship between memory and trauma. Celan's use of symbolism and metaphor creates a sense of ambiguity and complexity that requires careful deconstruction and interpretation. However, once decoded, the poem reveals a stark and honest depiction of the Holocaust experience, one that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Celan's language is dense and challenging, but his message is clear: memory is a stone that cannot be erased, but it is also a source of hope and resilience in the face of unimaginable suffering.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Twelve Years: An Analysis of Paul Celan's Classic Poetry
Paul Celan's Twelve Years is a classic poem that has been widely studied and analyzed by scholars and poetry enthusiasts alike. The poem is a reflection on the Holocaust, and the impact it had on the Jewish people. Celan, who was a Holocaust survivor himself, uses his personal experiences to create a powerful and moving piece of poetry that captures the horror and tragedy of the Holocaust.
The poem is divided into three parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the Holocaust. The first part, which is titled "The Black Milk of Daybreak," is a powerful and haunting description of the concentration camps. Celan uses vivid imagery to describe the horrors of the camps, and the suffering of the people who were imprisoned there. He describes the "black milk" that flows from the chimneys of the crematoriums, and the "death-carts" that carry the bodies of the dead to the mass graves. The imagery is powerful and evocative, and it captures the horror and brutality of the Holocaust in a way that is both visceral and emotional.
The second part of the poem, titled "With a Flood of Tears," is a reflection on the aftermath of the Holocaust. Celan describes the emptiness and despair that he feels in the wake of the tragedy, and the sense of loss that he experiences as a survivor. He describes the "flood of tears" that he sheds for the dead, and the sense of guilt that he feels for having survived when so many others did not. The poem is a powerful meditation on the psychological impact of the Holocaust, and the ways in which it continues to haunt the survivors long after the event itself has ended.
The final part of the poem, titled "Psalm," is a prayer for the dead. Celan uses biblical language and imagery to create a sense of reverence and solemnity, and to pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. He asks for forgiveness for the sins of the living, and for mercy for the dead. The poem is a powerful expression of grief and mourning, and it captures the sense of loss and tragedy that the Holocaust represents.
One of the most striking aspects of Twelve Years is the way in which Celan uses language to create a sense of disorientation and fragmentation. The poem is written in a highly fragmented style, with short, disjointed lines that create a sense of dislocation and confusion. This style reflects the psychological impact of the Holocaust, and the ways in which it shattered the lives of those who experienced it. The fragmented style also creates a sense of urgency and intensity, and it captures the emotional intensity of the poem.
Another important aspect of the poem is the way in which Celan uses imagery to create a sense of horror and despair. The imagery is often highly symbolic, and it creates a sense of depth and complexity that is not immediately apparent. For example, the "black milk" that flows from the chimneys of the crematoriums is a powerful symbol of death and destruction, and it captures the horror of the Holocaust in a way that is both visceral and emotional. Similarly, the "death-carts" that carry the bodies of the dead to the mass graves are a powerful symbol of the dehumanization and brutality of the Holocaust.
Overall, Twelve Years is a powerful and moving poem that captures the horror and tragedy of the Holocaust. Celan's use of language and imagery creates a sense of disorientation and fragmentation that reflects the psychological impact of the Holocaust, and his use of symbolism creates a sense of depth and complexity that is both powerful and emotional. The poem is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and to the power of poetry to capture the most profound and difficult aspects of human experience.
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