Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

A NOTE OF HUMILITY, by ARNA BONTEMPS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography

Arna Bontemps, in his poem "A Note of Humility," delves into the themes of resilience, hope, and the inevitability of facing hardship, yet maintains a somber tone that underscores the poem's title. The poem, through its structure and choice of imagery, speaks to the human condition, emphasizing the cyclical nature of struggle and the modest victories that follow. Bontemps' work is characterized by its exploration of African American experiences, and this poem, while universal in its appeal, can also be seen as a reflection on the specific historical and emotional landscapes navigated by African Americans.

The poem begins with the acknowledgment of efforts that yield no immediate results: "When all our hopes are sown on stony ground, / And we have yielded up the thought of gain." Here, Bontemps uses the metaphor of sowing on stony ground to depict endeavors that seem futile or destined to fail from the start. This imagery suggests a certain resilience in the face of adversity, as the act of sowing itself is one of hope and expectation, even when the conditions are not conducive to success.

As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on the possibility of returning, "Long after our last songs have lost their sound," indicating a belief in the persistence of the human spirit even when its expressions (songs) seem to have faded away. This return, however, is not marked by fanfare but by a quiet, perhaps reluctant, acknowledgment of the cyclical nature of life's challenges and triumphs.

The second stanza delves deeper into the emotional landscape of the speaker, describing a world where "thorns have choked the last green thing we loved," symbolizing the loss and pain that come with life's trials. The imagery of thorns and choked growth conveys a sense of struggle against overwhelming odds. Yet, it is in this desolation that the speaker finds a glimmer of hope, suggesting that even when "love that moved us once leaves us unmoved," there remains the potential for a resurgence, a day when "men like us may come to have a day."

Through its ABAB rhyme scheme, "A Note of Humility" weaves a musical and structured narrative that complements its themes of perseverance, humility, and the cyclical nature of human experiences. The consistent rhyme scheme provides a framework that both contains and emphasizes the poem's exploration of the interplay between effort, loss, and the hopeful prospect of return. Bontemps' use of rhyme enhances the poem's emotional depth, making the reader feel the rhythm of life's ups and downs and the quiet dignity found in acknowledging and enduring them.

Bontemps employs the natural world as a metaphor for human endurance and the possibility of rebirth in the third stanza. By comparing human beings to "the bee, / The meager ant, the sea-gull and the loon," he highlights the instinctual drive to continue, to survive, and to find moments of triumph, however "mournfully" they may come. These creatures, each in their own way, embody resilience and the capacity to endure hardship, suggesting that human beings, too, share this innate ability to rise again.

BOOK TEXT:

When all our hopes are sown on stony ground,

And we have yielded up the thought of gain,

Long after our last songs have lost their sound,

We may come back, we may come back again.

When thorns have choked the last green thing we loved,

And we have said all that there is to say,

When love that moved us once leaves us unmoved,

Then men like us may come to have a day.

For it will be with us as with the bee,

The meager ant, the sea-gull and the loon;

We may come back to triumph mournfully