Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Elegy for Wright & Hugo" by Norman Dubie is a reflective and narrative-driven poem that revisits a story involving Saint Jerome, a lion, and a donkey. Through this allegorical retelling, Dubie explores themes of forgiveness, betrayal, redemption, and the complexities of human (and animal) nature. The poem also serves as an elegy, not only mourning the loss of innocence and purity but perhaps also symbolizing the legacies of poets James Wright and Richard Hugo, to whom the elegy is dedicated.

The poem begins by setting a peaceful scene of communal living with Saint Jerome, a donkey, and a lion, highlighting their harmonious existence during winter evenings. The initial tranquility of this arrangement is disrupted when passing merchants kidnap the donkey, leaving the lion to return alone. Saint Jerome mistakenly accuses the lion of devouring the donkey, leading to a significant misunderstanding that shifts the dynamics of their relationship. The lion, although innocent, assumes the donkey's duties, fetching firewood alone each winter evening, bearing the burden of Jerome's misjudgment without resentment.

This twist in the story introduces the poem’s central motifs of misjudgment and forgiveness. Jerome's initial reaction is one of anger and retribution, yet he exercises mercy by reassigning the lion to the donkey's tasks rather than punishing him severely. The lion's acceptance of his new role without feeling "wronged or misunderstood" reflects a noble, selfless character, enduring undeserved blame with dignity.

The narrative progresses with the eventual return of the donkey by the guilt-ridden merchants, which momentarily restores the original harmony among Jerome, the lion, and the donkey. However, the tranquility is short-lived. The lion, having grown accustomed to and even taking pride in his new role, becomes jealous of the donkey. This jealousy leads to a dark, unexpected turn where the lion, driven by complex emotions, kills the donkey.

The lion's actions bring about a new layer of tragedy and complexity to the narrative. When the lion returns to the house carrying firewood and bloodied, Jerome chooses to interpret the blood as a sign of the lion defending himself from the merchants, rather than the truth of the lion's violent act. Jerome's choice to overlook the lion's culpability and invent a narrative that absolves him underscores a profound shift in Jerome's understanding of justice and mercy, perhaps recognizing his own initial misjudgment's role in leading to the lion's change of character.

Saint Jerome's decision to excuse the lion from further work and his own assumption of the responsibility of gathering wood signify a penance of sorts, a recognition of the complexities of judgment and forgiveness. Jerome's transformation into a figure who personally takes on the burden he once imposed on others encapsulates the moral evolution within the narrative.

The poem ends with a simple, yet profound statement: "He was a saint. It was like that." This line reflects on the nature of sainthood as embracing imperfection and moral complexity, rather than absolute purity or correctness. It also subtly nods to the human condition—fraught with mistakes, learning, and the continuous reevaluation of our actions and beliefs.

In sum, Dubie's elegy captures the deep emotional currents and moral inquiries sparked by the tale of Saint Jerome, the lion, and the donkey, weaving a narrative that probes the boundaries of forgiveness, the consequences of our actions, and the perpetual quest for understanding in a flawed world.

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