Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Fergus Falling," Galway Kinnell intertwines personal history, landscape, and the passage of time to explore themes of legacy, loss, and the delicate balance between past and present. The poem's narrative follows Fergus, a young boy, as he climbs a white pine tree and experiences a profound connection to the land and its history, culminating in a dramatic fall that symbolizes both physical and existential descent.

The poem opens with Fergus climbing to the top of a "million white pines / set out across the emptying pastures / of the fifties." These pines, part of a reforestation program, symbolize attempts to heal and rejuvenate the land, contrasting with the earlier generations who cleared it "with ox and axe." This sets up a tension between the efforts of forefathers and the more modern attempts to correct or enhance the landscape. Fergus’s climb to the top of the tree can be seen as an effort to rise above the shadows of both the past and his immediate family, seeking a vantage point that offers clarity and perspective.

From his elevated position, Fergus observes Bruce Pond for the first time, a site rich with personal and communal history. Kinnell's detailed description of the pond and its associations with various individuals underscores its significance as a repository of memories and stories. Each mention of a person connected to the pond—Clarence Akley, Milton Norway, Gus Newland—evokes a sense of loss and the inexorable passage of time. These figures, now gone, once shaped the landscape and contributed to its history, but their efforts and existence have faded into the past.

The pond also serves as a setting for darker stories, such as the wards of the state who wandered on Halloween and were found as skeletons the following fall. This haunting image adds a layer of tragedy and mystery, suggesting that the land holds not only the history of labor and life but also death and disappearance. The old fisherman, who remains a constant presence at the pond, symbolizes the enduring connection to the land and the cyclical nature of life and death.

Fergus’s sight of the pond triggers a significant change within him: "he became heavier suddenly / in his bones / the way fledglings do just before they fly." This moment of realization and connection to the land's history causes a physical and emotional shift in Fergus, making him acutely aware of his place in this continuum. The "soft pine cracked" under his weight, symbolizing the fragility of life and the thin line between discovery and danger.

Kinnell's perspective as a father comes into play as he reflects on the moment of Fergus’s fall. The poet's own labor—sawing by hand—provides a contrast to the potential distraction of an electric saw, which would have drowned out Fergus's cry. This detail emphasizes the importance of being present and attentive, highlighting the delicate balance between work and the need to stay connected to those we care about. The electric saw, with its "carbide teeth speeding through the bland spruce of our time," represents modern distractions and the risk of losing touch with what truly matters.

When Fergus falls and the poet rushes to him, Fergus’s first words, "Galway, Inés, I saw a pond!" reveal his excitement and the depth of his connection to what he saw. Despite his physical pain and the fear it evokes, his vision of the pond remains paramount, underscoring the profound impact of this moment of connection to the land and its history.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the pond's enduring presence and its role as a silent witness to the passage of time and the lives that have intersected with it. The image of the old fisherman, seen only by the pine tops, sitting in his rowboat and waiting for pickerel, evokes a sense of timelessness and continuity. The fisherman’s presence suggests that, despite the changes and losses over time, there is a persistent and enduring relationship between the land and those who come to it.

"Fergus Falling" is a poignant exploration of heritage, memory, and the interwoven lives that shape and are shaped by the landscape. Through rich imagery and a deeply personal narrative, Kinnell captures the beauty and tragedy of existence, the weight of history, and the moments of connection that define our experience.

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