Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sounds of the Resurrected Dead Man's Footsteps #68" by Marvin Bell is a captivating exploration of nature, culture, and the cyclical rhythms of life. Through two distinct but thematically intertwined sections, Bell crafts a narrative that weaves together the pastoral and the classical, highlighting the interplay between the agricultural and the mythological. This poem delves into the essence of growth, transformation, and the enduring human connection to the earth and its seasons.

1. Brain, Grain and Buckle

The first section opens with a vivid portrayal of rain nourishing the seeds, a symbol of the promise of growth and abundance. Bell personifies the rain as a conveyor of stories to the awaiting seeds, hinting at the deep, intrinsic relationship between the natural world and the narratives we construct around it. The anticipation of transformation—from wearing boots in the rainy season to slippers in the summer—mirrors the agricultural cycle and its impact on human life.

The mention of a "funhouse for the little ones" constructed by the growing corn captures the wonder and playfulness of nature, inviting a reflection on the innocence and joy found in the simplest of life's pleasures. The hard work of farming, symbolized by "months of tools and tractors," and the challenge presented by the elements, like "the wind slapping the barn door," underscore the labor and resilience inherent in the cycle of cultivation and harvest.

Bell's reference to "the diminutive Aristotle" and the absence of philosophical commentary on the transition "from hunger to plenty" suggests a contemplation on the philosophical underpinnings—or lack thereof—of the agricultural cycle and its significance beyond mere survival. The "field of dreams" sown in the corn belt becomes a metaphor for the aspirations and hopes that humans invest in the land and its yield.

The imagery of "the blue that sucks up the thoughts of great cities" and "dreams that roam the land without tongue" evokes a sense of the vast, unspoken connections between the rural and the urban, the tangible and the intangible. The scene closes with an idyllic picture of children playing among the crops, a symbol of hope, continuity, and the unbreakable bond between humans and nature.

2. Bean, Sickle and Bucket

The second section shifts to a mythological landscape, invoking the figure of Circe and her garden as a place removed from the ordinary, where "no baseball" is played. This allusion to the Homeric enchantress who transformed men into swine suggests a reflection on the transformative powers of nature and myth.

Circe's diet of "white beans and orchids" and the mention of caviar "salted with men's blood" intertwine the themes of sustenance, luxury, and the darker aspects of human and divine appetites. The Greeks' fascination with "metered passages of gossip" and their poetic and celebratory responses to the natural world highlight the cultural importance of storytelling and ritual in making sense of human experiences.

The references to "wine by the bucket" and the dance "with their arms and shoulders" capture the exuberance and communal joy found in Greek celebrations, which often revolved around the harvest and the sea. The acknowledgment of "grain in the liquor" and the consumption of "eel and octopus" further connect the Greeks' culinary practices to their agricultural and maritime surroundings.

The closing lines, noting that the Greeks "had history in their thoughts, but they could dance," encapsulate the poem's overarching theme: the ability to hold space for both the weight of history and the lightness of joy. This duality reflects the human capacity to engage with life's profundity while embracing its pleasures, a balance that Bell masterfully explores through the juxtaposition of agricultural life and mythological imagery.

"Sounds of the Resurrected Dead Man's Footsteps #68" is a testament to Marvin Bell's skill in drawing rich, evocative connections between the land, its produce, and the human spirit. Through its lyrical exploration of growth, celebration, and the narratives we weave around the natural cycles that sustain us, the poem invites readers to contemplate the timeless and universal themes that connect us to the earth and to one another.

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