Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Randall Jarrell's poem "The Augsburg Adoration" beautifully intertwines historical references, personal reflection, and the enduring nature of simple, everyday life. The poem navigates through the layers of human experience, history, and the constant presence of nature, particularly symbolized by the sparrow. Through the invocation of Mozart, Goethe, and the Duke of Wellington, Jarrell connects the past's grandeur and the mundane moments shared by everyone, including himself.

The poem opens by mentioning famous historical figures who stayed at the Drei Mohren hotel, aligning the poet’s own experience with those illustrious visitors. This juxtaposition of the poet’s modern experience with historical legends creates a timeless continuum, suggesting that despite the passage of time, certain experiences remain constant. The humorous and humble detail of "two bananas and two sugar-cubes" by the bed for both the Duke and the poet bridges the gap between the lofty and the ordinary, emphasizing common human experiences.

The sparrows, with their persistent "cheep, cheep, cheep," symbolize the persistence and continuity of life. The poem then transitions to Ulm, with its iconic unfinished spire, and to the image of the sparrow holding a straw in its beak, a symbol you can buy in chocolate at the local bakeries. This image represents both the construction of something grand and the simple acts of daily survival and nurturing.

Jarrell further delves into the historical and cultural layers by referencing Roman manhole covers marked SPQR, connecting the grandeur of the Roman Empire with the everyday life of sparrows in modern ruins. This blend of high culture and common nature emphasizes the endurance of life’s simple elements amid the ruins of grand civilizations.

The poem’s central theme of adoration is framed within the context of the Christmas nativity scene, where travelers come to Rome, Ulm, and Augsburg to "adore something." The imagery of the "child nursing at the stone / Breast beside a stone ox, stone ass," and a "flesh-and-blood / Sparrow who nests in the manger" brings together the sacred and the ordinary. The Three Kings bringing "stones and stones and stones" contrasts with the sparrow bringing a simple straw, highlighting the humble and essential acts of nurturing and survival over material wealth and grandeur.

Jarrell reflects on the wear and erosion of stone over the years, yet the sparrow remains unchanged, symbolizing the constancy of nature and life’s simple acts. The line "But the bird cramming food into the beseeching / Mouth in its nest of rubbish, is as perfect / As when the child first said of Mozart, Goethe, / And the Iron Duke" ties together the enduring presence of life and care across time and space. The sparrows in historical Rome, Nazareth, and modern-day Ulm or Augsburg are depicted as fundamentally the same, underscoring a universal truth about the resilience and constancy of nature.

In the closing lines, Jarrell poignantly reflects on the fallen great figures and the enduring presence of the sparrow, suggesting a continuity of life and care that transcends human accomplishments and failures. The sparrow, bringing straw to its nest and food to its young, remains a timeless symbol of life's simple, enduring acts of care and survival. The poem thus celebrates the humble, persistent aspects of life that remain unchanged despite the passage of time and the rise and fall of great civilizations.

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