Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Schuyler's poem "Growing Dark" encapsulates a moment of reflection, tinged with the inevitable passage of time and the encroaching weight of experience. The poem begins with a vivid, almost cinematic description of the natural world and daily life: "The grass shakes. / Smoke streaks, no, / cloud strokes." These lines create a delicate atmosphere where the natural world is in motion, but not in turmoil—there is a gentleness in the "cloud strokes" that contrasts with the more immediate, human actions that follow.

As the poem transitions from these external observations to the internal, Schuyler anchors the reader in the mundane: the feeding of dogs, the clanking of their licenses, the ringing phone. These ordinary moments serve as a backdrop to the more profound and personal reflections that unfold later. The "pond path" described as "washed-out grass / between green / winter cover" suggests a journey that is both literal and metaphorical—a path that has been worn and is now partly obscured by the passage of time, much like the memories and experiences that shape the speaker's current state of mind.

The dialogue in the poem introduces a poignant contrast between the external world and the internal emotional landscape. When someone—presumably a loved one—enters the speaker's room and asks, "Isn't the world terrible?" the response is both comforting and resigned: "My dear... / I said. It could be / and has been / worse." This exchange highlights a duality that runs throughout the poem: the beauty of the world, juxtaposed with the inevitable pain and hardship that life brings. The speaker acknowledges that "things keep getting in between"—beauty is always obstructed or complicated by the harsh realities of existence.

The poem shifts to a more introspective tone as the speaker reflects on past actions and the consequences that have shaped their life. The admission, "When I was young I hurt others. / Now, others have hurt me," reveals a cycle of pain and empathy that has become a central theme in the speaker's understanding of the world. This reflection is marked by a sense of inevitability and resignation, suggesting that the speaker has come to terms with the mutual infliction of pain that characterizes human relationships.

The final lines of the poem return to the immediate, physical world with the mention of a dog's bark and "racking sobs." The speaker's empathy is evident—"Poor guy"—yet there is also a distance, as the speaker is able to "get my sleep" despite the emotional turmoil suggested by the sobs. This closing moment encapsulates the tension between care and detachment, between feeling and self-preservation, that runs throughout the poem.

"Growing Dark" is a meditation on the passage of time, the interplay of beauty and pain, and the way personal history shapes our perception of the world. Schuyler's language is spare and precise, allowing the emotional weight of the poem to emerge subtly, through the accumulation of small, significant moments. The poem invites readers to consider their own experiences of hurt and healing, and to find a measure of peace in the recognition that life is a complex blend of joy and sorrow, with neither ever fully eclipsing the other.

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