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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

REMEMBERING THE FOUNTAIN, by                 Poet's Biography

In "Remembering the Fountain," John Hollander crafts a contemplative poem that merges vivid imagery with philosophical musings on memory, nature, and myth. The poem navigates through a landscape that intertwines the mythical and the real, evoking a sense of timelessness and reflecting on the passage from a lush, vibrant past to a barren present.

The opening lines introduce "Dry Apollo," a deity associated with the sun and light, whose bright butterflies flutter silently among "gray greens." This juxtaposition of brightness and dullness sets the tone for a poem that contrasts the rich past with the desolate present. The stillness of the lizards "ablaze with black and olive, striped with darts of ochre" lounging on the "pocked steps" adds to the static, almost lifeless atmosphere. The reference to the columns "carved not of the god's regular marble-aflash" but flung up from "unruly rocks" amidst "pale daisies and hard, unfruitful weeds" further emphasizes the chaotic and unrefined state of the current landscape.

Hollander's use of color and texture throughout the poem is meticulous. The "unbearable blue of sky" is not merely a description but a reflection of the vastness and emptiness that marks the present state. This "unbearable" blue is contrasted with the "distant thoughts of water, of silent coasts, unimaginable islands," invoking a sense of longing and loss. The sky's vastness symbolizes a disconnect from the life-giving water and fertile lands that once existed.

The poem shifts its focus to "the fond, pictorial eye's greater reach off southwestward" towards a "shadowless peak," a place where "even the high travellers" would "shed no shade." This imagery suggests an arid, lifeless summit, where not even the travelers can cast shadows, indicating a place devoid of vitality. The reflective gaze of the observer is drawn back to the "stony feet," a symbolic return to reality and the present condition.

Hollander contrasts the present dryness with the memory of a "green wood" at the "foot of a holy mountain," where "old water, deep, clear and cold, had something to say of sunlight." This water, described with "touches of gold" and "whispers of frosty stream," symbolizes a time when the landscape was alive and vibrant. The interplay of sunlight and water, with "caressing amusing surfaces" and "reading clear depths," contrasts sharply with the current aridity.

The poem's closing lines focus on "those three who bend over the fountain now," unquickened and "the god who lies entombed in the noon sunshine." This image of the god entombed suggests a loss of divine presence or vitality. The "almost-enduring nymphs" whose voices drown out the "rock talk and water murmuring" further emphasize the disconnect between the present and the past. The Rememberer, standing nearby, is unaware of the "dry heights that wait southward, and above no sea," symbolizing the inevitable journey towards desolation and the unknown.

Hollander's use of classical references and rich imagery creates a poignant meditation on the passage of time and the transformation of landscapes. "Remembering the Fountain" is not just a reflection on a physical place but a deeper exploration of memory, change, and the loss of vitality. Through vivid descriptions and a thoughtful juxtaposition of the past and present, Hollander captures the essence of a landscape that has transitioned from a state of life and abundance to one of dryness and desolation, inviting readers to contemplate the broader implications of such transformations in their own lives.


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