Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"If You Get There Before I Do" by Dick Allen is a heartfelt meditation on love, anticipation, and the afterlife, presented through the lens of a speaker giving instructions to a loved one who might reach their shared destination first. This poem unfolds as a gentle guide for the loved one, imbuing mundane tasks and observations with profound emotional weight, suggesting a reunion beyond the physical realm.

The opening lines, "Air out the linens, unlatch the shutters on the eastern side," immediately ground the poem in the sensory world, creating a vivid tableau of a shared, intimate space that awaits occupancy. The mention of the lost deck of Bicycle cards and the magnificent view of "old silent pines leading down to the lakeside" evokes a sense of nostalgia and tranquility, a space where time expands and allows for deep reflection.

Allen's poem diverges into a contemplation of what one might do with "a few hundred years to sit around and concentrate on one thing at a time," starting with the mundane—radiators—and aspiring to the spiritual—Meister Eckhart. This progression reflects a yearning to understand the complexities of life and the human spirit, an exploration unbounded by the limitations of earthly existence.

The poet's desire to "save blue for last" signifies a deep appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the color blue, suggesting a longing to immerse oneself in the profound and the sublime. Blue, especially "the blue of Crater Lake on an early June morning," symbolizes a depth of experience that one could spend decades contemplating, a metaphor for the endless pursuit of understanding and appreciation in life.

The instructions to "sway the fence gate back and forth a few times just for its creaky sound" and to "swing in the tire swing" with "socks off" capture the essence of joyful, childlike wonder. These simple pleasures stand in stark contrast to the complexities contemplated earlier in the poem, reminding the reader of the value of simple, sensory experiences and the beauty of being present in the moment.

As the poem moves towards its conclusion, the imagery shifts to reflect a transition into another state of being, where "what’s familiar starts fading" and the body becomes "invisible—what old age rehearses us for." This passage serves as a poignant reminder of life's impermanence and the inevitable journey towards the unknown.

Finally, the speaker's assertion of their eventual arrival, "if there’s a place for me that love has kept protected, I’ll be coming, I’ll be coming too," is a powerful affirmation of enduring love and the belief in a reunion beyond the confines of this world. The poem leaves the reader with a sense of hope and a profound belief in the connections that bind us, transcending the physical and entering the realm of the eternal.

"If You Get There Before I Do" is a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, anticipation, and the transcendence of the human spirit. Through vivid imagery, contemplative reflections, and the interplay between the mundane and the sublime, Dick Allen crafts a narrative that resonates with the universal longing for connection and the continuation of love beyond the boundaries of life.

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