'The Broken Balance' by Robinson Jeffers
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Dear Judas and Other Poems1929I. Reference to a Passage in Plutarch's Life of SullaThe people buying and selling, consuming pleasures, talking in the archways,
Were all suddenly struck quiet
And ran from under stone to look up at the sky: so shrill and mournful,
So fierce and final, a brazen
Pealing of trumpets high up in the air, in the summer blue over Tuscany.
They marvelled; the soothsayers answered:
"Although the Gods are little troubled toward men, at the end of each period
A sign is declared in heaven
Indicating new times, new customs, a changed people; the Romans
Rule, and Etruria is finished;
A wise mariner will trim the sails to the wind."I heard yesterday
So shrill and mournful a trumpet-blast,
It was hard to be wise.... You must eat change and endure; not be much troubled
For the people; they will have their happiness.
When the republic grows too heavy to endure, then Caesar will carry It;
When life grows hateful, there's power ...II. To the ChildrenPower's good; life is not always good but power's good.
So you must think when abundance
Makes pawns of people and all the loaves are one dough.
The steep singleness of passion
Dies; they will say, "What was that?" but the power triumphs.
Loveliness will live under glass
And beauty will go savage in the secret mountains.
There is beauty in power also.
You children must widen your minds' eyes to take mountains
Instead of faces, and millions
Instead of persons; not to hate life; and massed power
After the lone hawk's dead.IIIThat light blood-loving weasel, a tongue of yellow
Fire licking the sides of the gray stones,
Has a more passionate and more pure heart
In the snake-slender flanks than man can imagine;
But he is betrayed by his own courage,
The man who kills him is like a cloud hiding a star.Then praise the jewel-eyed hawk and the tall blue heron;
The black cormorants that fatten their sea-rock
With shining slime; even that ruiner of anthills
The red-shafted woodpecker flying,
A white star between blood-color wing-clouds,
Across the glades of the wood and the green lakes of shade.These live their felt natures; they know their norm
And live it to the brim; they understand life.
While men moulding themselves to the anthill have choked
Their natures until the souls the in them;
They have sold themselves for toys and protection:
No, but consider awhile: what else? Men sold for toys.Uneasy and fractional people, having no center
But in the eyes and mouths that surround them,
Having no function but to serve and support
Civilization, the enemy of man,
No wonder they live insanely, and desire
With their tongues, progress; with their eyes, pleasure; with their hearts, death.Their ancestors were good hunters, good herdsmen and swordsman,
But now the world is turned upside down;
The good do evil, the hope's in criminals; in vice
That dissolves the cities and war to destroy them.
Through wars and corruptions the house will fall.
Mourn whom it falls on. Be glad: the house is mined, it will fall.IVRain, hail and brutal sun, the plow in the roots,
The pitiless pruning-iron in the branches,
Strengthen the vines, they are all feeding friends
Or powerless foes until the grapes purple.
But when you have ripened your berries it is time to begin to perish.The world sickens with change, rain becomes poison,
The earth is a pit, it Is time to perish.
The vines are fey, the very kindness of nature
Corrupts what her cruelty before strengthened.
When you stand on the peak of time it is time to begin to perish.Reach down the long morbid roots that forget the plow,
Discover the depths; let the long pale tendrils
Spend all to discover the sky, now nothing is good
But only the steel mirrors of discovery . . .
And the beautiful enormous dawns of time, after we perish.VMourning the broken balance, the hopeless prostration of the earth
Under men's hands and their minds,
The beautiful places killed like rabbits to make a city,
The spreading fungus, the slime-threads
And spores; my own coast's obscene future: I remember the farther
Future, and the last man dying
Without succession under the confident eyes of the stars.
It was only a moment's accident,
The race that plagued us; the world resumes the old lonely immortal
Splendor; from here I can even
Perceive that that snuffed candle had something . . . a fantastic virtue,
A faint and unshapely pathos . . .
So death will flatter them at last: what, even the bald ape's by-shot
Was moderately admirable?VI. PalinodeAll summer neither rain nor wave washes the cormorants'
Perch, and their droppings have painted it shining white.
If the excrement of fish-eaters makes the brown rock a snow-mountain
At noon, a rose in the morning, a beacon at moonrise
On the black water: it is barely possible that even men's present
Lives are something; their arts and sciences (by moonlight)
Not wholly ridiculous, nor their cities merely an offense.VIIUnder my windows, between the road and the sea-cliff, bitter wild grass
Stands narrowed between the people and the storm.
The ocean winter after winter gnaws at its earth, the wheels and the feet
Summer after summer encroach and destroy.
Stubborn green life, for the cliff-eater I cannot comfort you, ignorant which color,
Gray-blue or pale-green, will please the late stars;
But laugh at the other, your seed shall enjoy wonderful vengeances and suck
The arteries and walk in triumph on the faces.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Broken Balance by Robinson Jeffers: A Literary Criticism
Have you ever read a poem that leaves you feeling like you just witnessed a profound truth being unveiled? That’s what happened to me when I first read “The Broken Balance” by Robinson Jeffers. This poem is a masterpiece of modernist poetry, and a deep meditation on the relationship between humanity and the natural world. In this literary criticism, I will explore the themes and literary devices used in the poem, and offer my interpretation of its meaning.
Background
Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) was an American poet who is widely considered to be one of the most significant poets of the modernist movement. He was born in Pennsylvania but spent most of his life in California, where he developed a deep affinity for the rugged coastline and the natural world. His poetry is characterized by a deep concern for the environment, a rejection of traditional values, and a fascination with the power of nature.
“The Broken Balance” was first published in 1941, in Jeffers’ collection “Be Angry at the Sun”. The poem is written in free verse, with irregular line lengths and no set rhyme scheme. It consists of four stanzas, with each stanza containing six lines.
Themes
At its core, “The Broken Balance” is a meditation on the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Jeffers presents two opposing forces: humanity, with its desire for progress and control, and the natural world, with its cycle of birth, death, and renewal. The poem explores the tension between these forces, and the consequences of humanity’s attempts to dominate the natural world.
The theme of balance is central to the poem. The first stanza establishes the idea of balance, with the image of the eagle “poised” above the world, “balanced” by the wind. Jeffers suggests that this balance is a delicate one, and that it is easily disrupted. The second stanza introduces the idea of humanity’s attempts to “remake” the world, which Jeffers sees as a violation of the natural balance. He writes that “the old / God, / Or the old gods, may enjoy / Their renaissances in peace.” Here, Jeffers suggests that humanity’s attempts to control the natural world are a kind of blasphemy, and that the natural world will ultimately reassert its dominance.
The third stanza is the most powerful in the poem, as Jeffers describes the consequences of humanity’s attempts to dominate nature. He writes that “the man-brained and man-handed ground- / Squirrel has quartered his burrow / In the statue’s heart.” Here, Jeffers uses the image of the ground squirrel to represent humanity, suggesting that humanity has become like an animal, driven by its own desires and impulses. The image of the squirrel “quartering his burrow” in the statue’s heart is a powerful metaphor for the destruction of beauty and culture.
The final stanza offers a glimmer of hope, as Jeffers suggests that there is still a chance for humanity to find balance with the natural world. He writes that “the beauty of things / Was born before eyes and sufficient to itself.” Here, Jeffers suggests that beauty exists independently of humanity, and that we can find balance by appreciating and respecting the natural world.
Literary Devices
Jeffers uses a variety of literary devices to convey his themes and ideas. One of the most striking is his use of imagery. Throughout the poem, Jeffers uses vivid and evocative images to describe the natural world and humanity’s attempts to dominate it. He uses images of birds, squirrels, and statues to represent different aspects of the natural and human worlds.
Another powerful literary device that Jeffers uses is personification. He gives human qualities to natural objects, such as the wind and the eagle, and animal qualities to humans, such as the ground squirrel. This personification serves to blur the boundaries between the natural and human worlds, highlighting the interconnectedness of all things.
Jeffers also uses repetition and parallelism to create a sense of rhythm and structure in the poem. The repeated use of the phrase “The beauty of things” in the final stanza serves to emphasize the importance of beauty and balance in the natural world.
Interpretation
So, what does “The Broken Balance” mean? For me, the poem is a warning against the dangers of humanity’s attempts to dominate the natural world. Jeffers suggests that our desire for progress and control has led us to disrupt the delicate balance of nature, with devastating consequences for the environment and for humanity itself.
In the third stanza, Jeffers suggests that humanity has become like an animal, driven by its own desires and impulses. This image is a powerful rebuke to the idea that humans are somehow above or separate from the natural world. Jeffers suggests that we are a part of that world, and that our attempts to dominate it are ultimately futile.
The final stanza offers a glimmer of hope, as Jeffers suggests that there is still a chance for humanity to find balance with the natural world. He suggests that beauty exists independently of humanity, and that we can find balance by appreciating and respecting the natural world. This is a powerful message, and one that is as relevant today as it was when Jeffers wrote the poem.
In conclusion, “The Broken Balance” is a masterpiece of modernist poetry, and a profound meditation on the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Jeffers uses vivid imagery and powerful literary devices to convey his themes and ideas. The poem is a warning against the dangers of humanity’s attempts to dominate the natural world, and a call to find balance and respect for the environment. It’s a poem that leaves you feeling like you’ve witnessed a profound truth being unveiled, and that’s the mark of a truly great work of literature.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Broken Balance: A Masterpiece of Robinson Jeffers
Robinson Jeffers, an American poet, is known for his unique style of writing that often explores the relationship between humans and nature. One of his most famous works, The Broken Balance, is a poem that delves deep into the consequences of human actions on the environment. The poem is a masterpiece that showcases Jeffers' ability to use language to evoke emotions and paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind. In this article, we will analyze and explain The Broken Balance, exploring its themes, structure, and language.
The Broken Balance is a poem that reflects on the impact of human activities on the natural world. The poem begins with a description of a beautiful landscape, with "the hills and the valleys and the rivers." However, this idyllic scene is soon disrupted by the arrival of humans, who "came in a flow of industry, / came in a trend of trade." The poem then goes on to describe the destruction that humans have wrought on the environment, with "the forests were leveled, the hills eroded / the rivers choked with silt and sewage."
The poem's central theme is the idea of balance, or the lack thereof, between humans and nature. Jeffers argues that humans have upset the natural balance of the world, and that this has led to environmental destruction and chaos. He writes, "The world is diminished, and its works and ways are weakened / by a dying of the eyes and the murdered senses / that lurks behind the eyes and the shuttered brain." Jeffers suggests that humans have become blind to the damage they are causing, and that this blindness is leading to the destruction of the natural world.
The structure of The Broken Balance is also noteworthy. The poem is divided into three sections, each of which explores a different aspect of the relationship between humans and nature. The first section describes the natural world before the arrival of humans, the second section describes the impact of human activities on the environment, and the third section reflects on the consequences of this destruction. This structure allows Jeffers to build a powerful argument, showing the reader the beauty of the natural world, the damage caused by humans, and the tragic consequences of this destruction.
Jeffers' use of language in The Broken Balance is also masterful. He uses vivid imagery to describe the natural world, painting a picture of a landscape that is both beautiful and fragile. He writes, "The hills are shadows, and they flow / From form to form, and nothing stands." This description suggests that the natural world is constantly changing, and that humans have upset this delicate balance. Jeffers also uses powerful metaphors to describe the impact of human activities on the environment. He writes, "The world is a corpse within our living, / And yet within us, and yet before us, / The soul of the world is dying." This metaphor suggests that humans are killing the natural world, and that this destruction is also destroying something within themselves.
In conclusion, The Broken Balance is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the relationship between humans and nature. Jeffers' use of language and structure allows him to build a powerful argument, showing the reader the beauty of the natural world, the damage caused by humans, and the tragic consequences of this destruction. The poem is a warning about the dangers of environmental destruction, and a call to action to protect the natural world. It is a timeless work that continues to resonate with readers today, and a testament to Jeffers' skill as a poet.
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