Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton’s "For Johnny Pole on the Forgotten Beach" is a poignant reflection on the loss of innocence, the brutal realities of war, and the enduring impact of memory. The poem juxtaposes two distinct moments in the life of Johnny Pole, the speaker’s brother, capturing his transition from childhood dreams to a tragic death in battle. Through vivid imagery and a deep sense of nostalgia, Sexton explores the themes of loss, the passage of time, and the way memories of those we love continue to shape our lives.

The poem begins with a memory of Johnny Pole as a young boy, "in his tenth July," when he learns to "arm the waiting wave." The wave, described as a "giant where its mouth hung open," symbolizes both the power and the unpredictability of nature, a force that Johnny bravely confronts as he rides its "lip." This image of the young boy mastering the waves serves as a metaphor for his childhood ambitions and the innocence of that time, where the dangers of the world are still manageable and even exhilarating.

The beach setting, with "children paddling their ages in" under the harsh light of noon, evokes a carefree and idyllic scene. Johnny stands "anonymous and straight" among the other children, blending in yet distinct in the speaker’s eyes as her "small Johnny brother." The mention of the "breakers cartwheeled in and over / to puddle their toes and test their perfect / skin" emphasizes the innocence and vulnerability of childhood, a time when even the forces of nature seem gentle and playful.

As the poem shifts to the present, we see Johnny as a young man, "tall and twenty that July," now facing a much different wave—a wave of war. The dream he had as a child, "to be / a man designed like a balanced wave," is tragically unfulfilled. Instead of the balance and strength he once imagined, Johnny encounters the harsh realities of battle, where "there was no balance to help." The "first beach of assault" is described in stark, disturbing terms, with the "odor of death" hanging in the air and the "junkyard of landing craft" waiting "open and rusting."

The vivid contrast between the childhood beach and the battlefield is stark. Where once the beach was a place of joy and discovery, it is now a scene of death and decay. The bodies of soldiers are "strung out as if they were / still reaching for each other," a haunting image of lives cut short, their final moments frozen in a desperate attempt to connect. Johnny Pole is among them, his body described as having "given in like a small wave," a poignant echo of the wave he once mastered as a child. The "sudden hole in his belly" marks the violent end of his life, with the "Pacific noon" cruelly mirroring the bright light of his childhood days.

The poem ends with the speaker contemplating Johnny's death and the way it continues to reverberate through her life. The question, "Does he lie there / forever, where his rifle waits, giant / and straight?" underscores the sense of permanence and futility in war, where young lives are extinguished, leaving behind only memories and remnants like a waiting rifle. The speaker's assertion that "you die again / and live again, Johnny, each summer that moves inside / my mind" suggests that, through memory, Johnny’s life and death are continually re-experienced. Each summer, as the speaker recalls the past, Johnny is brought back to life in her thoughts, even as his death remains an ever-present wound.

"For Johnny Pole on the Forgotten Beach" is a powerful meditation on the impact of war, the loss of youth, and the enduring nature of memory. Sexton masterfully contrasts the innocence of childhood with the horrors of battle, using the image of the beach as a symbol of both beginnings and endings. The poem captures the deep sorrow of losing a loved one and the way such a loss can haunt and shape our memories, turning even the most joyful recollections into bittersweet reminders of what has been lost. Through her vivid language and emotional depth, Sexton explores the complex interplay between life, death, and memory, making this poem a moving tribute to the brother who was lost to the tides of war.

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