Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Randall Jarrell's "The Lost Children" is a poignant meditation on motherhood, memory, and the passage of time. The poem delves deeply into the complex emotions surrounding the presence and absence of children, exploring the nuanced experiences of joy, loss, and nostalgia that define a mother's relationship with her children.

The poem begins with a dream-like scene: "Two little girls, one fair, one dark, / One alive, one dead, are running hand in hand / Through a sunny house." This opening image sets a tone of both delight and sorrow, introducing the central theme of the poem—the coexistence of life and death, presence and absence. The speaker's reaction to seeing the girls, "When I wake I feel no sadness, only delight," suggests a bittersweet comfort in their memory and a sense of peace derived from their continued existence in some ethereal realm.

Jarrell captures the intimacy and depth of a mother's bond with her children: "It is strange / To carry inside you someone else's body; / To know it before it's born." This reflection on the physical and emotional connection between mother and child highlights the profound sense of knowing and owning that comes with motherhood. The mother is described as "the authority upon it," emphasizing her deep understanding and care for her child.

As the poem progresses, it acknowledges the inevitable distancing that occurs as children grow: "But as the child learns / To take care of herself, you know her less." This gradual separation is portrayed with a mix of acceptance and melancholy. The mother recognizes that her child's independence marks the end of an era where she was the central figure in her child's life. The transformation from needing constant care to becoming "the authority upon herself" reflects the natural progression of growing up.

The poem then shifts to a moment of present reflection, where the adult daughter shows her husband childhood photos: "She sits in my living room and shows her husband / My albums of her as a child." This scene is loaded with nostalgia and a sense of lost time. The mother realizes that the child in the photographs is as lost to her as the daughter who has passed away. The vivid memories encapsulated in these photos create a poignant contrast between the past and the present, highlighting the transient nature of childhood.

The mother's inner monologue reveals a deep longing and a sense of disbelief at the loss: "I did know those children. / I braided those braids. I was driving the car / The day that she stepped in the can of grease." These detailed recollections emphasize her intimate involvement in her children's lives and the irreplaceable nature of these experiences. The rhetorical question, "Where are they?" underscores her yearning for the past and the difficulty of reconciling it with the present reality.

The interaction with the neighbor's child, who innocently asks, "Don't you want to have some of your own?" adds another layer of poignancy. The mother's internal response, "Surely you can look at me and see them," reflects her profound connection to her lost children, which is invisible to others but ever-present to her.

The dream of the two little girls playing hide-and-seek serves as a metaphor for the mother's ongoing emotional struggle: "The dark one / Looks at me longingly, and disappears; / The fair one stays in sight, just out of reach." This imagery encapsulates the elusive nature of memory and the persistent longing that characterizes her grief. The mother's exhaustion, "I don't want to play it any more, I don't want to, / But the child keeps on playing, so I play," highlights the inescapable nature of these feelings and the enduring impact of her lost children on her psyche.

In "The Lost Children," Jarrell masterfully intertwines themes of memory, loss, and the passage of time. The poem is a poignant reflection on the enduring bonds of motherhood, the inevitable separation that comes with growing up, and the deep, often unspoken, sorrow of losing a child. Through vivid imagery and introspective narration, Jarrell captures the profound and multifaceted emotions that define a mother's experience, making the poem a touching and resonant exploration of love and loss.

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