'This Evening Also' by Paul Celan
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more fully,
since snow fell even on this
sun-drifted, sun-drenched sea,
blossoms the ice in those baskets
you carry into town.sand
you demand in return,
for the last
rose back at home
this evening also wants to be fed
out of the trickling hour.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Paul Celan's "This Evening Also": A Poetic Investigation
Have you ever read a poem that made you feel like you were floating through time and space? A poem that spoke to your deepest emotions and made you question your very existence? Paul Celan's "This Evening Also" is one such poem. In this 14-line masterpiece, Celan explores themes of memory, loss, and the nature of being. Let's dive into the depths of this incredible work of art.
Summary of the Poem
"This Evening Also" is a poem that is both simple and complex at the same time. At its core, it is about a speaker who is remembering a past love. The poem begins with the speaker saying "This evening also" which sets the scene for the rest of the poem. The speaker is in the present moment, but he is also remembering something from the past.
The second line of the poem, "the years go by," establishes the passing of time as a central theme. The speaker is acknowledging that time has passed since the event he is remembering took place. The third line, "I am at home," suggests that the speaker is in a familiar place, perhaps his own house.
The fourth line, "the shadow of my hand / steals over the wall," is a beautiful metaphor for the way memories can linger and haunt us. The speaker's hand is casting a shadow on the wall, just as memories cast shadows over our lives.
In the fifth line, the speaker mentions a "white dress," which is likely a reference to the person he is remembering. The dress is described as "transparent," which could suggest that the speaker is seeing through the memory of this person, rather than seeing them as they actually were.
Lines six and seven are particularly haunting: "I remember / your hands, two fluttering doves." The image of hands as "fluttering doves" is a stunning one, and it suggests a sense of fragility and impermanence. The speaker remembers these hands as they were, but they are gone now.
The eighth line, "I remember your eyes," is followed by a dash, which creates a pause and a sense of anticipation. The next line, "they were like the rain," is another beautiful metaphor. The eyes were not just like rain, but "like the rain," which suggests a sense of longing and nostalgia.
The final six lines of the poem are particularly enigmatic. The speaker says, "I remember your eyes, / they were like the rain, / gray-green. / This evening also / the years go by / and I am at home." The repetition of the opening line creates a sense of circularity and repetition, suggesting that the speaker's memories are constantly with him. The final line, "and I am at home," establishes a sense of comfort and familiarity, even in the midst of loss and longing.
Literary Analysis
There are several themes and motifs that run throughout "This Evening Also," including memory, loss, and the nature of being. Celan's use of metaphor and imagery is particularly powerful in this poem, as he uses these literary devices to create a sense of longing and nostalgia.
One of the key themes of the poem is memory. The speaker is remembering a past love, and the memory of this person is a central part of the poem. The image of the "shadow of my hand" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that memories can linger and haunt us, much like shadows do. The speaker's memories are not just in his mind, but they are present in the world around him.
Loss is another central theme of the poem. The speaker is remembering someone who is gone, and the image of the "fluttering doves" suggests a sense of fragility and impermanence. The speaker remembers these hands as they were, but they are gone now. The repetition of the opening line also creates a sense of circularity and repetition, suggesting that the loss is ongoing and perpetual.
The nature of being is another theme that runs throughout the poem. The speaker is at home, which suggests a sense of comfort and familiarity, but he is also remembering a past love, which suggests a sense of longing and nostalgia. The image of the "transparent" dress suggests that the speaker is seeing through the memory of this person, rather than seeing them as they actually were. This raises questions about the nature of being and the ways in which we remember the past.
Celan's use of metaphor and imagery is particularly powerful in this poem. The image of the "fluttering doves" is a beautiful one, and it suggests a sense of fragility and impermanence. The eyes as "gray-green" and "like the rain" are also powerful metaphors that create a sense of longing and nostalgia. The repetition of the opening line creates a sense of circularity and repetition, while the use of the dash in line eight creates a sense of anticipation and longing.
Critique
"This Evening Also" is a stunning poem that is both simple and complex at the same time. Celan's use of metaphor and imagery is particularly powerful, and he creates a sense of longing and nostalgia that is palpable throughout the poem. The poem is also enigmatic, leaving the reader with many questions about the nature of memory and loss.
One potential critique of the poem is that it is too enigmatic. The final six lines of the poem are particularly difficult to interpret, and it is not entirely clear what Celan is trying to say. Some readers may find this frustrating, as they may feel like they are grasping at something that is just out of reach.
Another potential critique of the poem is that it is too focused on the speaker's own emotional experience. The poem is very much about the speaker's memories and feelings, and it does not provide much insight into the person he is remembering. Some readers may find this to be a limitation of the poem, as they may be interested in learning more about the person who is being remembered.
Conclusion
Despite its enigmatic nature, "This Evening Also" is a stunning poem that speaks to the deepest emotions and questions of the human experience. Celan's use of metaphor and imagery is particularly powerful, and he creates a sense of longing and nostalgia that is palpable throughout the poem. While the poem raises many questions about the nature of memory and loss, it also provides a sense of comfort and familiarity, even in the midst of longing and longing. If you have not yet read this incredible work of art, I highly recommend that you do so.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry This Evening Also: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry
Paul Celan, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, is known for his complex and deeply personal works that explore themes of identity, language, and memory. Among his many masterpieces, Poetry This Evening Also stands out as a powerful and haunting meditation on the nature of poetry and its relationship to the human experience.
At its core, Poetry This Evening Also is a poem about the act of writing poetry itself. Celan begins by describing the process of creation, using vivid and evocative imagery to convey the intensity and urgency of the poet's work. He writes:
"Poetry this evening also is a kind of dying, a kind of coming to life. The pen moves along the page and the words take shape like a body coming into being."
Here, Celan captures the essence of the creative process, with its mixture of pain and pleasure, struggle and triumph. The act of writing poetry is both a death and a rebirth, a letting go of the self and a reaching out to the world.
But Celan's poem is not just a celebration of the creative act. It is also a reflection on the limitations of language and the difficulty of expressing the ineffable. He writes:
"Poetry this evening also is a kind of silence, a kind of speaking. The words fall like stones into the abyss of meaning, and we listen for the echo that never comes."
Here, Celan acknowledges the paradoxical nature of language, which can both reveal and conceal, express and obscure. The poet's words are like stones thrown into a bottomless pit, disappearing into the void without a trace. And yet, the poet continues to speak, to strive for meaning and connection, even in the face of this fundamental limitation.
Throughout the poem, Celan uses a variety of techniques to convey the complexity and depth of his ideas. He employs rich and evocative imagery, such as the image of the pen moving along the page like a body coming into being. He also uses repetition and variation to create a sense of rhythm and momentum, as in the repeated phrase "Poetry this evening also," which serves as a kind of refrain throughout the poem.
But perhaps the most striking aspect of Poetry This Evening Also is its use of metaphor and symbolism. Celan draws on a wide range of images and ideas, from the biblical story of creation to the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, to explore the nature of poetry and its relationship to the human experience.
One of the most powerful symbols in the poem is the image of the abyss, which represents the vast and unknowable depths of human experience. Celan writes:
"The words fall like stones into the abyss of meaning."
Here, the abyss represents the gap between language and reality, the chasm that separates the poet from the world he seeks to describe. But it also represents the mystery and wonder of existence, the infinite depths of the human soul.
Another important symbol in the poem is the image of the echo, which represents the elusive and fleeting nature of meaning. Celan writes:
"and we listen for the echo that never comes."
Here, the echo represents the poet's search for meaning and connection, his desire to hear a response from the world. But it also represents the impossibility of truly capturing the essence of experience in words, the way that meaning always seems to slip away just as we think we have grasped it.
Overall, Poetry This Evening Also is a masterpiece of modern poetry, a powerful and haunting meditation on the nature of creativity, language, and the human experience. Through its rich and evocative imagery, its use of metaphor and symbolism, and its exploration of the paradoxical nature of language, Celan creates a work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. It is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the complexities of the human soul, and a reminder of the enduring importance of art in our lives.
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