Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Philip Levine's "The Myth" is a contemplative and introspective poem that examines identity, transformation, and the enduring presence of myth in the human experience. Through vivid imagery and a reflective narrative, Levine explores the complexities of self-perception and the interplay between individual identity and societal expectations.

The poem begins with a poignant act of renaming by the speaker's mother, who names him after a bridge, symbolizing her hopes for his future. This act of renaming carries a sense of aspiration and expectation, a desire for the speaker to transcend his current self and reach new heights. However, the speaker remains "stubborn, truculent, stupid," resisting the transformation and retaining his core identity. The juxtaposition of the mother's hopes and the speaker's resistance highlights the tension between external expectations and internal realities.

The speaker's recounting of his childhood, including his rebellion against his mother's attempts to beautify him and his defiant behavior, paints a picture of a strong-willed and independent individual. The image of throwing the roses in the garbage and standing on the porch, wishing starvation upon passing drivers, underscores his rejection of conventional niceties and societal norms. His cousin's suggestion to wear a collar further emphasizes the perception of the speaker as untamed and wild, an outsider to polite society.

Despite these rebellious tendencies, the speaker finds solace and acceptance in the unconditional love of his wife. This love allows him the freedom to "run free crashing through the berry bushes and nettles like a wild dog," embracing his wild nature without judgment. The speaker's nocturnal baying at the moon and the neighbors' reactions create a vivid image of his unrestrained spirit and the friction it causes with the world around him. Yet, he finds peace and contentment in these moments, sleeping under the stars and waking to the mourning doves.

The speaker's relationship with his sons, who return from college with tales of sports and romantic conquests, contrasts sharply with his own life experience. Their world of "townies" and dormitory lies feels foreign to him, highlighting the generational and experiential gap between them. The speaker's self-made identity, forged from "sky and stagnant water and the deepest yearnings of the dead," positions him as a mythic figure, both in his own eyes and perhaps in the eyes of others.

Levine delves into the mythic quality of the speaker's existence, suggesting that he entered the world "all at once as a myth does, believed and generous." This mythic identity carries a sense of timelessness and inevitability, destined to reside in "the echoing halls of libraries or gazing through the calm eyes of stone." The speaker's reflection on his mythic status underscores the dual nature of myth as both enduring and confined to static representations, removed from the dynamic flow of everyday life.

In the present, the speaker embraces the interlude between his past and future, bowing his head to the weather and cherishing the "dark truths at the center of each human eye." His song, sung "out of key," to the "ocean of joy" within his heart, encapsulates his acceptance of life's imperfections and his deep-seated connection to the natural and human world. The plea to "Don't forget me!" reveals a desire for remembrance, tempered by an understanding of the inevitability of change and the constancy of the natural order.

The poem concludes with a meditation on the passage of time and the eventual stillness of even the great seas. This imagery of the stars sweeping onward and the seas coming to bed evokes a sense of cosmic continuity and the smallness of individual existence within the grand tapestry of life. Levine's "The Myth" is a richly layered exploration of identity, legacy, and the mythic dimensions of human life, inviting readers to reflect on their own place within the broader narrative of existence.

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