Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Walking on Water" by James Dickey is a richly imaginative and allegorical poem that merges the magical with the mundane, drawing upon the biblical imagery of walking on water to explore themes of childhood, perception, and the transformative power of nature and imagination. The poem uses a personal narrative to delve into these themes, portraying a child's adventure across a bay, which later becomes mythologized as a miraculous act.

The poem begins with the speaker recalling how he embarked from a clam-shell beach onto a narrow plank, an act filled with the anticipation and trepidation of a child venturing into the unknown. Dickey describes the scene with a vividness that captures the interplay of light and water, as the speaker "poled off, gliding upright / Onto the shining topsoil of the bay." This imagery not only sets the scene visually but also metaphorically, suggesting the thin line between reality and the supernatural, between the solidity of earth and the fluidity of water.

As the narrative unfolds, the speaker reflects on how observers later perceived his actions: "Later, it came to be said / That I was seen walking on water." This transformation from a simple act of balancing on a plank to the perception of walking on water explores the idea of how our actions can be interpreted and mythologized, altering their nature depending on the perspective of the observer. The child, likened to "a curious pilgrim hiking / Between two open blue worlds," becomes a symbol of exploration and wonder, bridging the gap between the known and the unknown.

Dickey enriches the poem with natural elements that accompany the child on his journey—marsh birds, pelicans, and notably, a shark that "Lay buried and followed, / His eyes on my childish heels." These creatures add a layer of both companionship and peril to the journey, highlighting the dual aspects of the natural world as both nurturing and threatening. The shark, in particular, introduces an element of danger and the unknown, shadowing the child's innocent venture with a hint of predatory menace.

The conclusion of the poem, where the child transitions from the miraculous back to the mundane—"I came out on land, and dismounted / Making marks in the sand with my toes"—serves as a grounding moment. It contrasts the fantastical perception of his journey with the tangible reality of a child simply playing at the edge of the sea. Yet, the memory and the myth of walking on water persist, influencing how the child views himself and how he is perceived by others.

Dickey weaves a subtle spiritual undercurrent throughout the poem, culminating in a reference to Mark 6:50 from the Bible, which reflects on the theme of faith and the miraculous in everyday life. This inclusion deepens the poem's exploration of how ordinary moments can hold extraordinary significance, depending on one's perspective and belief.

Overall, "Walking on Water" is a meditation on the thresholds between youth and maturity, the real and the imagined, and the mundane and the miraculous. It celebrates the power of childhood imagination to transform the world and suggests that the miracles we perceive are as much a creation of our perspectives as they are of the events themselves. The poem invites readers to ponder the boundaries of their own perceptions and the potential for wonder and transcendence in everyday acts.

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