Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Umoja: Each One of Us Counts" by Rita Dove is a poignant reflection on the lives of individuals, their struggles, and the impermanence of human existence. The title "Umoja," which means "unity" in Swahili, suggests a thematic emphasis on collective memory and the acknowledgment of individual lives within a broader human narrative. Dove employs vivid imagery and a lyrical voice to evoke a sense of continuity between the living and the deceased, urging remembrance and recognition of each person's significance.

The poem opens with four individuals who meet different fates, each interacting with elemental forces: water, stone, air, and fire. These elements not only signify the natural world's power but also metaphorically represent the various challenges and adversities people face in life. "One went the way of water, one crumpled under stone; one climbed the air but plunged through fire, one fought the fear along." This stanza highlights the diverse paths and trials encountered by individuals, emphasizing the unpredictability and harshness of their journeys.

The refrain, "Remember us, though we are gone," serves as a powerful plea for remembrance, asserting the importance of acknowledging those who have passed. This call to memory is reinforced by subsequent lines that depict sudden, often violent ends—a star flaring on an epaulet, a ball rolling into harm’s way, a flatlining screen, and an anonymous bullet. These images are striking in their portrayal of life’s fragility and the suddenness with which it can be extinguished.

The contrasts continue with the description of individuals who leave markedly different traces of their existence—one adorned with garlands, another leaving only a smear. This variation underscores the theme of individual impact and the different marks people leave on the world, whether through recognition and celebration or through more subtle, perhaps overlooked, contributions.

Dove's questions in the poem—"Do those who failed still miss the wind, that sweet breath from the sky? Do they still covet rock and moss or the swift, hard blink of the lizard's eye?"—are rhetorical and contemplative, exploring the desires and connections that those who have passed might still yearn for. These lines humanize the remembered, suggesting a continuing connection to the earthly and the tangible even in absence or after death.

The closing lines, "We walk on water, we are written on air," are particularly evocative, blending spiritual imagery with a sense of transcendence and impermanence. This metaphorical language suggests that while human lives may be fleeting, their essence or spirit can endure in collective memory and in the stories that continue to circulate about them. It speaks to the power of remembrance and the communal responsibility to acknowledge each individual’s existence and their contribution to the human tapestry.

Overall, "Umoja: Each One of Us Counts" is a beautifully crafted meditation on memory, loss, and the enduring presence of individuals in the collective consciousness. Through her use of elemental imagery and poignant questioning, Rita Dove celebrates human life's complexity and reinforces the importance of remembering those who have gone before us.

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