Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Philip Levine's poem "That Day" is a profound reflection on the convergence of mundane reality and sacred yearning within the backdrop of a city steeped in history and struggle. The poem opens with the narrator waking in a cold room near the port, immediately setting a tone of isolation and disconnection. This sense of alienation is heightened as the narrator encounters indifferent cooks arguing over football, rendering him invisible in their world.

Wandering through the shadowed streets, the narrator finds himself drawn to the burned cathedral of Santa Maria del Mar. This setting, laden with historical and religious significance, becomes a space for contemplation and connection with the past and the divine. Inside, the cathedral is filled with women in black, praying for the souls they neglected in life. The imagery of "candles so old you could almost hear them hissing" evokes a sense of timeless sorrow and the weight of unspoken prayers.

The cathedral, with its ancient lofts and wind singing through the stones, becomes a sanctuary where the voices of the living and the dead intermingle. The narrator sits in the back, bowing his head and closing his eyes, allowing the voices to wash over him. These voices, varied in their pleas and laments, represent a collective cry of humanity. There is a child's fear of becoming a woman, a plea for peace and a soldier's safe return, and a sailor's anger against a life at sea. Each prayer is a testament to the individual struggles and hopes that define human existence.

Levine's depiction of the cathedral as a place where "each prayer [is] answered, each cry taken to a heart that cares" suggests a temporary solace within the sacred space. However, this tranquility is contrasted sharply with the harsh reality outside. The blinding sun on sand-blasted stones and the city's cacophony of garbage and gasoline smells ground the poem in the gritty everyday life of the urban environment.

The sea, described as graying, serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the erosion of hope. The faces of men and women turned downward reflect a collective resignation to the world's hardships. Levine captures the existential weariness of urban life, where the world "once loved us" but now is consumed "cinder by cinder." The narrator's contemplation extends to a wish for the sea to forget, for the sky to become a banner of hope, and for children to grow into life, yet these are fleeting desires in the face of an ordinary day.

The poem concludes with a poignant resignation: "all I can do is tell you this." This statement underscores the narrator's limited power to effect change or offer solutions, yet it also affirms the importance of bearing witness to the human condition. "That Day" thus becomes a meditation on memory, loss, and the enduring quest for meaning amidst the relentless tide of daily existence. Through its vivid imagery and heartfelt reflections, Levine's poem captures the essence of a single day while resonating with the universal experience of searching for solace and significance in a transient world.

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