Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Time We Took to Travel" by Marvin Bell is a deeply evocative poem that traverses the complex terrain of human experience, exploring themes of desire, defiance, learning, and the incessant search for meaning and connection. Through a rich tapestry of imagery and narrative, Bell captures the essence of the human journey, marked by challenges, revelations, and the pursuit of understanding and love amidst a world replete with signs and symbols guiding, warning, and sometimes misdirecting.

The poem opens with the speaker's admission of trespassing past boundaries marked by signs of "No Trespassing" or "Danger," metaphorically representing the human inclination to explore and challenge the limits imposed by society, nature, or oneself. This journey is fraught with obstacles and warnings, symbolized by "corpses with hands raised in defense or warning" and "waste," yet driven by a fundamental cry for "help, love."

Bell introduces the idea of moving beyond the initial stages of existence or understanding, "Part One in the history of our ancestors," suggesting a narrative of evolution and progression through various epochs of human thought and culture. This journey is not solitary; the question "are you with me?" invites the reader to join in this exploration of life's complexities.

The speaker's passage through a landscape inhabited by "vampire bats" and "great bears" losing their lives in the "woods of promise" signifies the dangers and uncertainties inherent in the quest for knowledge and fulfillment. Yet, this journey is undertaken "all for eating other animals in a diet of joy and balance," indicating a recognition of life's cyclical nature and the interdependence of all beings.

Bell's reference to adopting the mannerisms of those "who had better" and were called "Professor" rather than "You" touches on the process of learning and assimilation, the aspiration towards intellectual and social refinement, and the eventual attainment of a role or identity that commands respect and recognition.

The poem then transitions to a space of employment and acceptance, "up to the sign which said 'Help Wanted.'" The declaration "I love you" and the subsequent hiring signify a moment of connection and opportunity, a point at which the speaker's journey intersects with the needs and openings presented by the world.

As the narrative unfolds, the speaker encounters a community of like-minded individuals and potential adversaries, navigating through spaces marked by signs that categorize and define, yet always moving "Up to the sign which said 'Next.'" This continual motion reflects the perpetual state of seeking and becoming that characterizes human existence.

In the "age of Enough," Bell captures the collective journey towards embracing the absurdities of life, such as the paradox of a player's sign saying "Do Not Tackle" and a field that reads "No Playing." This acceptance of life's contradictions and the struggle to find meaning in a world that often seems devoid of it culminates in the development of a "Theory: Words on Hunting and Saying," which acknowledges the multiplicity of meanings and the elusiveness of certainty.

Ultimately, "Time We Took to Travel" is a meditation on the human condition, an acknowledgment of our endless quest for love, understanding, and a place in the world. Bell invites readers to reflect on their own journeys, the signs they follow or defy, and the ways in which they navigate the landscapes of existence in search of connection and truth.

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