Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy's poem "Another Country" explores themes of alienation, harmony with nature, and the brutal impact of human exploitation on the natural world. Through a vivid contrast between the poet's own awkwardness and the serene existence of porpoises, Piercy delves into the profound differences between human and animal life, ultimately critiquing humanity's destructive tendencies.

The poem opens with the poet feeling out of place among the porpoises: "When I visited with the porpoises / I felt awkward, my hairy / angular body sprouting its skinny / grasping limbs like long mistakes." The poet's body, described as "hairy" and "angular," is depicted as an ill-suited vessel in the water, emphasizing a sense of discomfort and disconnection. This image contrasts sharply with the porpoises' fluid grace and effortless movement through their aquatic environment.

Piercy portrays the porpoises as beings of an ancient, almost mythic wisdom: "Millennia past / they turned and fled back to the womb. / There they feel no fatigue but slip / through the water caressed and buoyed up." The return to the womb symbolizes a retreat to a more primal, harmonious state, where the porpoises are free from the burdens that plague humans. Their existence is characterized by perpetual movement and consciousness, as they "hold life always turning it like a pebble / under the tongue."

The poet contrasts the porpoises' lack of fear and their cooperative nature with the human experience: "In the wide murmur of the sea they fear / little. Together they ram the shark." This portrayal of communal strength and fearlessness highlights a fundamental difference between the porpoises and humans, who often struggle with fear and isolation.

The poem further elaborates on the porpoises' harmonious existence, where "Food swims flashing in schools. / Hunger is only a teasing, endured / no longer than desired." Their needs are easily met, and the natural world provides for them without excess or greed. Weather is merely a "superficial decoration," and they interact with it joyfully, saluting the thunder with their playful behavior.

Communication among porpoises is depicted as a rich, artistic exchange: "All conversation is a singing, / all telling alludes to and embodies / minute displacements in epic, / counter-epic, comic opera." Their dialogues are complex and poetic, incorporating numerous genres and forms, even a "cry for help is couched / in a form brief and terse, / strict as haiku." This lyrical mode of communication stands in stark contrast to the often blunt and utilitarian nature of human speech.

The poem's tone shifts dramatically as it addresses the human exploitation of porpoises: "Greed has no meaning when no one / is hungry. Thus they swim toward / us with broad grins and are slaughtered / by the factory ships / that harvest the tuna like wheat." The innocence and trust of the porpoises are met with brutality and greed, as they are indiscriminately killed by humans for commercial gain. This stark imagery serves as a powerful indictment of humanity's disregard for the natural world and its creatures.

In "Another Country," Marge Piercy masterfully contrasts the serene, cooperative existence of porpoises with the awkwardness and greed of humans. Through rich, evocative imagery and poignant observations, Piercy critiques the destructive impact of human activity on the natural world and calls for a deeper appreciation of the harmonious and poetic lives of other beings. The poem is both a celebration of the beauty of the natural world and a mournful reflection on the loss inflicted by human exploitation.

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