Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"If It Should Ever Come" by Edward Dorn is a contemplative and subtly melancholic poem that delves into the nuances of memory, the passage of time, and the often-unrecognized moments of closure in our lives. This poem elegantly captures a scene of parting—perhaps a final gathering or a metaphorical depiction of the end of life—where the emotions and implications of the moment are only partially grasped by those present.

The poem opens with an image of unity and a gentle parting, where "time will wave as willows do" and "adios will be truly, yes." The waving willows evoke a sense of gentle, perhaps sorrowful farewell, while the affirmative "yes" underscores a sense of acceptance and inevitability about this departure. This setting is reflective and tinged with a natural, easy passage of time, suggesting a graceful acknowledgment of endings.

The atmosphere at this gathering is bittersweet. The participants are "laughing at what is forgotten and talking of what's new," indicating a mixture of nostalgia for the past and engagement with the present. The roses brought to the occasion symbolize beauty and perhaps the love and appreciation among the attendees, yet there's an underlying sadness, hinted at with the simple, poignant line, "How sad."

This sadness deepens with the realization in the subsequent lines. The speaker reflects on the lack of awareness among the participants that they are at an endpoint, metaphorically represented by "your bright pear the earth, yes." This pear, symbolizing the world or perhaps life itself, is seen as something transient, an affair "to have been kept and gazed back on when you had slept." The comparison of memories to nuts stored by a squirrel further emphasizes the theme of survival and the instinctual need to hold onto experiences, even as they slip into the half-forgotten recesses of memory.

The poem's reflective tone captures the essence of looking back on life, recognizing the fleeting nature of each moment, and the countless experiences ("there were so many, many from the newly fallen") that accumulate over time, each eventually blending into a tapestry of memories that define a life.

"If It Should Ever Come" thus stands as a meditation on the end—whether of life, an era, or a phase—and the quiet acknowledgment of its arrival. It captures the complexity of human emotions faced with endings, blending sadness with acceptance, and a poignant appreciation for the ephemeral beauty of existence and relationships. Dorn’s use of natural imagery and the metaphor of seasonal change subtly underscore the inevitable cycles of life and memory, inviting the reader to reflect on their own moments of parting and the memories they cherish and eventually, might also forget.

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