Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Louis Simpson’s poem "The Green Shepherd" is a richly layered narrative that intertwines pastoral imagery, historical allusion, and philosophical reflection. Through the lens of a seemingly simple scene between a shepherd and a shepherdess, Simpson explores themes of time, history, and the often-overlooked forces that shape the world around us. The poem juxtaposes the idyllic and the violent, the intimate and the grand, suggesting that while lovers may be absorbed in their personal world, larger historical and cosmic forces continue to unfold with or without their awareness.

The poem opens with a classic pastoral image: a shepherd playing a "melancholy flute" while the wind ruffles the dress of a shepherdess, revealing "the delicacy of her foot." This scene evokes a sense of peaceful simplicity and romantic intimacy, drawing on the traditional pastoral theme of rural life as a retreat from the complexities and dangers of the world. However, the peaceful scene is quickly disrupted by the introduction of "Constantinople’s wall" and the violent imagery of "arrows and Greek fire, molten lead," and "seven virgins" falling to their deaths from a turret. The contrast between the serene pastoral setting and the brutal historical event highlights the poem’s central tension: the coexistence of beauty and violence, love and destruction.

As the shepherd yawns and puts away his flute, the shepherdess suggests they return home, but neither notices "the dragon on their track." The dragon, initially described as being "like a car in a garage," represents a modern threat lurking in the woods, its tail ominously "sticking out." The dragon’s presence introduces an element of danger and foreshadows the intrusion of historical and technological forces into the pastoral world. The arrival of St. George, the legendary dragon-slayer, who "sticks the grinning dragon in the snout," symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, yet the casualness with which St. George takes off his armor, "in a sweat," suggests that the medieval heroism has become a mere ritual, disconnected from the true dangers of the contemporary world.

The poem then shifts focus to a sail "that crosses the still bay," unnoticed by the shepherds. This sail, which could belong to a "caravel that’s sailing to Cathay," represents the age of exploration, specifically the voyages that would lead to the discovery of the New World and the subsequent conquests by figures like Cortez. The shepherds’ indifference to this historical moment underscores their detachment from the larger forces of history. As "Portugal is fading, and the state / Of Castile is rising purple on Peru," the shepherds remain absorbed in their private world, "with which these lovers have nothing to do."

Simpson uses this juxtaposition to comment on the disjunction between personal experiences and historical events. The lovers, engrossed in their own lives, are oblivious to the sweeping changes happening around them. This detachment is emphasized by the line "What do they care if time, uncompassed, drift / To China, and the crew is a baboon?" which suggests a profound indifference to the passage of time and the evolution of the world.

The dragon, now rising "crackling in the air," is revealed as a symbol of destructive power, perhaps alluding to the rise of totalitarian regimes or the threat of global conflict. The line "And who is god but Dragon?" suggests that the forces of destruction have become deified, their power unchecked. Meanwhile, the shepherd "dotes upon her skin," oblivious to the impending danger. The reference to "Old Aristotle," who "shut his book and locked the brass / And lay down with a shudder in his grave," further underscores the theme of resignation and the sense that even the greatest minds cannot prevent the unfolding of historical and cosmic forces.

The poem concludes with the image of "the groaning pole" that "had gone more than a mile," symbolizing the relentless march of time and history. Yet, "the shepherds did not feel it where they loved," suggesting that in their magical, isolated world, they are untouched by the changes happening around them. The "magic mountain" where "nothing moved" becomes a symbol of stasis, a place where time is suspended, and the lovers remain in a perpetual moment of intimacy, unaware of the world’s turmoil.

"The Green Shepherd" is a meditation on the tension between the personal and the historical, the immediate and the eternal. Through its rich tapestry of imagery and allusion, Simpson invites readers to consider the ways in which individual lives intersect—or fail to intersect—with the larger forces that shape history. The poem suggests that while love and beauty provide a refuge from the world’s chaos, they also risk becoming disconnected from reality, leaving individuals vulnerable to the unseen dangers that lurk just beyond their awareness.

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