Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Under Buzzards" by James Dickey is a poignant exploration of mortality, human vulnerability, and the elemental connection between life and death. Addressed to Robert Penn Warren, the poem delves into a visceral reflection on the speaker's confrontation with his own mortality, framed by the presence of buzzards—symbols of death and decay, yet also of survival and rebirth.

The poem begins with an evocative depiction of a "Heavy summer" setting, which immediately establishes a tone of oppressiveness and weight, both atmospheric and existential. The speaker and his companion ascend physically and metaphorically, positioning themselves alongside the buzzards that circle above. This act of climbing, laden with effort, mirrors the struggle inherent in confronting and contemplating death. The buzzards, as "birds of death," are not just scavengers but become guides in this metaphysical journey, leading the speaker to a broader understanding of life's cyclical nature.

As the speaker and his companion watch the buzzards, there is a transformative moment where watching turns into being watched, and the observers become part of the observed ecosystem. This shift is crucial as it reflects the interconnectivity of all life forms—the living and the dead, the human and the non-human. The poem beautifully captures this with the lines "Slowly, slowly circling and as we watch them they turn us / Around," suggesting a shared orbit with these harbingers of death.

The buzzards are described as offering "the salvation of our sense / Of glorious movement," which suggests that there is a form of grace or liberation in accepting the presence of death in life. This acceptance allows the speaker to feel aligned with the universe’s movements—the "same bird-plane with those deaths"—emphasizing a unity that transcends individual existence.

The poem then shifts into a more personal and introspective discourse as the speaker reflects on his own health and mortality. The mention of "the rotten, nervous sweetness of my blood" and the detailed account of managing his diabetes with insulin injections introduces a stark reality of living on the brink of death. The buzzards, sensing the decay and disease in his body, become metaphors for the looming threat of mortality that the speaker faces.

Dickey skillfully intertwines natural imagery with the medical condition of the speaker, using elements like "sap-smoke" and "crownfire of needles" to draw parallels between the external environment and the internal chaos of the body. The buzzards' flight and the natural destructive forces of fire resonate with the destructive potential of disease within the human body.

As the poem concludes, the speaker wrestles with the impulse between self-preservation and surrender to fate. The action of potentially crushing the syringe symbolizes a rejection of medical intervention, a momentary desire to let nature take its course. Yet, this is juxtaposed with a return to the medical regimen that sustains his life, albeit reluctantly.

Ultimately, "Under Buzzards" is a meditation on the balance between life's vitality and the ever-present shadow of death. It questions the value of a life prolonged by medical intervention versus a life lived in acceptance of its natural end. The closing lines, where the speaker calls for a beer and reflects on the "red sugar of my eyeballs," suggest a choice to embrace life's sensory experiences and the "glory" inherent in existence, even in the face of inevitable decline and death.

The poem is a profound contemplation of life, death, and the human condition, marked by Dickey's characteristic intensity and depth of thought, urging readers to consider the delicate balance between fighting for life and accepting the natural cycle of life and death.

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