Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Gregg's poem "At Risk" explores themes of dislocation, temporality, and the surreal disjunction between physical reality and a more elemental existence. The poem's imagery and evocative language create a sense of otherworldliness, where ordinary human experiences and perceptions are replaced by something more primal and timeless.

The opening lines, "This body does not smell human, / it smells of oregano in heat," immediately set the tone for the poem. The juxtaposition of the human body with the scent of oregano—a pungent, earthy herb—suggests a departure from the familiar and the human. The phrase "in heat" evokes a sense of natural, instinctual processes, emphasizing the primal and elemental.

"This is not your world / where people work and live in a house." These lines further distance the poem's setting from everyday human life. The speaker explicitly states that the scene being described is not part of the typical human world, reinforcing the sense of dislocation and strangeness. The absence of conventional human activities like work and domestic living suggests a place outside the bounds of normal experience.

"It is a place before or after. / After and before that." The repetition and inversion in these lines highlight the poem's exploration of time. The place described is situated outside the linear progression of time, existing either in a primordial past or a distant future—or perhaps both. This temporal ambiguity enhances the surreal, timeless quality of the setting.

"Things in parts and pieces." This fragmentary description emphasizes the disjointed nature of the world the speaker is inhabiting. It suggests a reality where things are not whole or complete but exist in a state of disarray or transition.

"The wind turning silver / in the olive trees." The imagery here is both vivid and ethereal. The wind, personified and given a metallic sheen, interacts with the natural world in a way that feels almost magical. Olive trees, often symbols of peace and longevity, contribute to the timeless and ancient atmosphere of the poem.

"A red pomegranate on the table." The pomegranate, a fruit rich with symbolic meaning—often associated with fertility, death, and rebirth—adds depth to the poem's themes of beginnings and endings. Its vivid red color stands out against the otherwise muted, elemental imagery, suggesting vitality and potential amidst the otherworldly setting.

"Silence with a ringing in it." This line captures a paradoxical moment, where silence is not an absence of sound but a presence filled with tension and potential. The "ringing" in the silence suggests an underlying vibrancy or energy, a reminder that even in stillness, there is life and movement.

"This is a beginning / or long afterwards. / Exactly that." The poem concludes with a reiteration of its temporal ambiguity. By stating that this moment is "a beginning or long afterwards," the speaker emphasizes the cyclical nature of time and existence. The phrase "Exactly that" serves to affirm the fluid, indefinite quality of the setting and the experiences described.

In "At Risk," Linda Gregg masterfully creates a world that exists outside the bounds of ordinary human experience, using rich imagery and a contemplative tone to explore themes of time, existence, and the primal elements of life. The poem's evocation of a place that is both before and after, filled with fragmentary details and surreal moments, invites readers to consider the deeper, timeless aspects of being and the inherent risks of inhabiting such a space.

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