Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Irving Feldman's poem "Stretched Out at Length" explores the relationship between humanity and the earth, grappling with existential questions of identity, mortality, and the meaning of life. Feldman crafts a poignant meditation on our connection to the ground, offering a rich exploration of themes such as death, memory, and the relentless search for meaning.

The poem begins with a serene yet haunting image: “Stretched out at length on the ground / —one might think them dreamers in a meadow—.” The image of people lying on the ground like “dreamers” creates a sense of tranquility and youthfulness. However, the following lines add a darker twist: “how young they all appear now, / as yet unbent into characters.” Here, Feldman emphasizes the youthful potential of these figures, who seem untouched by the experiences that mold individuals into distinct personalities. Their current state hints at the liminality between life and death.

Feldman describes the bodies as “if at any moment they / may climb, grown and whole, out / of the cracked open molds, and step / lightly into other worlds.” This imagery conveys a sense of rebirth and transformation, suggesting that the figures could transcend their present state and enter “other worlds.” However, this promise is undercut by the sobering realization that “their dust is old, / earth is old and craves / a sense for its shambles.” The earth, having seen countless generations come and go, yearns for meaning in the cycles of life and death. The “broken, low horizon of clods / the empty furrow cast up / in the course of defining itself” reflects the struggle of the earth to make sense of the brokenness within it.

The poem then shifts to the perspective of the living, as Feldman questions, “And we, have we no sense to offer / to ease the torment of this earth?” The living are depicted as “standing here, craning necks, squinting, / twisting ourselves half upside down over / the puzzle of these foreshortenings.” The living are curious but also confused by the shapes and forms they see on the ground. The imagery of “fevered limbs, knobs, bulges” and the “scrabbled ware of a potter’s field” conveys the chaotic and unsettling nature of death, as the living struggle to interpret these forms.

Despite their efforts to understand, Feldman admits that “we can’t resolve the clutter into / figures intelligible like ourselves.” The bodies remain incomprehensible, suggesting that death and the meaning of life are ultimately elusive. Yet, the poem hints at a hidden life within the earth that “persists in there, and contends with us, / with itself, with everything / for the meaning of the life.” This hidden life represents the enduring spirit that continues to search for meaning, even in death.

Feldman further explores the struggle for meaning with the lines, “And will not let us rest / though we pursue it down through / the last scattering.” The relentless pursuit of meaning leads the living to grapple “for our own coherence / among clots of dirt, rock, soil.” Here, the poem conveys the existential struggle to find coherence in the face of mortality.

In the final stanza, Feldman describes the process of awakening from the “spell of earth”: “Even as we rouse ourselves / from the spell of earth, / even as we straighten up and start / to disperse and move on to other things.” Despite the allure of the earth, the living must eventually leave it behind and continue with their lives. However, the earth exerts a powerful pull: “something, perhaps to gather / itself in prayer, perhaps / to touch its life / to the life of dust.” Feldman suggests that within each person, there is a longing to reconnect with the earth, to find solace in the dust.

The poem concludes with a haunting image: “something sinks to its knees in us, / something falls all the way / and doesn’t stop.” This image captures the unending search for meaning that drives humanity to its knees, unable to reconcile the mysteries of life and death. The “something” that falls represents the inescapable draw of mortality and the earth’s eternal pull.

Overall, "Stretched Out at Length" is a profound meditation on death, memory, and the search for meaning. Feldman’s vivid imagery and contemplative tone create a powerful exploration of the relationship between humanity and the earth, revealing the unbreakable bond between life and dust. The poem speaks to the existential struggle that defines the human condition, highlighting our perpetual quest for understanding in the face of mortality.

POEM TEXT: https://knopfdoubleday.com/2010/04/22/stretched-out-at-length-feldman/

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...