Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley's "To And" captures a sense of movement, ambiguity, and perhaps even existential uncertainty through its sparse yet evocative language. The poem’s fragmented structure and circular phrasing evoke an experience of perpetual back-and-forth, a state of indecision or even futility. Creeley uses repetitive motion, seasonal imagery, and a haunting question of "what replaces all the faces" to explore themes of time, intention, and loss, ultimately creating a meditation on the fleeting and often wasteful patterns of human experience.

The poem opens with "To and / back and forth," establishing a rhythm of oscillation that is as much about aimlessness as it is about motion. The phrase "back and forth" suggests a cyclical movement that lacks a clear destination, as if the speaker is caught in a loop of repetition. The addition of "direction / is a third" introduces a third element, suggesting that direction itself is somehow separate from the action of moving back and forth. This idea introduces ambiguity—is there an intended direction that is constantly missed, or does the act of moving in multiple directions negate any true purpose? Creeley captures the paradox of constant movement without progress, as if the speaker is caught between intention and indecision.

The line "or simple fourth / of the intention" adds another layer to this idea of direction and intention. "Simple fourth" suggests an additional step in the cycle, a further complication in an already ambiguous process. This mention of "intention" implies that there is a goal or purpose underlying the motion, but it remains elusive and fragmented. The phrase "like it / goes and goes" echoes the theme of endless motion, as if the intention itself is continuously deferred, caught in the same back-and-forth rhythm. This repetition of "goes and goes" reinforces the idea of unending action without fulfillment, capturing a sense of futility or aimlessness.

The shift to the line "No / more snow this / winter?" brings a new element into the poem, that of seasonal change. Snow, often associated with purity, silence, and the passage of time, becomes a symbol for something that is absent or missing. The question "No more snow this / winter?" implies an expectation that has not been met, as if the natural cycle has been interrupted. This absence of snow may symbolize a break in the familiar rhythms of life, leaving the speaker to confront an unfamiliar, perhaps unsettling reality. The lack of snow could also suggest a loss of renewal or cleansing, leaving a sense of barrenness or unfulfilled potential.

Creeley emphasizes this sentiment by repeating, "No more snow." The second mention of the phrase carries a sense of finality, as if the speaker is resigned to the absence. This repetition underscores a feeling of loss or deprivation, as if something essential is missing from the speaker’s life or environment. The absence of snow might reflect a larger sense of desolation or an inability to reset or refresh, leaving the speaker trapped in the perpetual motion of "back and forth" without the possibility of change or growth.

The poem’s concluding lines—"Then what replaces / all the faces, / wasted, / wasted"—shift from the external landscape to a contemplation of human experience and memory. The phrase "what replaces / all the faces" suggests a reflection on loss, as if the speaker is considering the people or moments that have passed, leaving only a sense of emptiness in their wake. The repeated word "wasted" emphasizes a sense of regret or squandered potential, as if the lives or relationships represented by "the faces" have been lost without fulfillment or purpose. This line conveys a haunting sense of transience, as if the faces, like the snow, have disappeared, leaving the speaker to grapple with their absence.

In "To And," Creeley uses minimal language to evoke complex emotions surrounding movement, intention, and loss. The poem’s fragmented structure and repetitive phrasing create a rhythm that mirrors the circular, often futile nature of human efforts to find meaning or direction. Through images of absent snow and fading faces, Creeley captures the inevitability of loss and the lingering question of what, if anything, can fill the void left behind. The poem’s final lines leave the reader with a sense of unresolved longing, a recognition of life’s ephemeral nature, and the haunting echo of “wasted, wasted,” as if the speaker is left contemplating the futility of it all.

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