Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Galvin’s poem "Natura Morta" weaves together vivid natural imagery, personal reflections, and a contemplation of art’s role in capturing the fleeting beauty of life. The poem is structured in four distinct sections, each contributing to a layered meditation on death, decay, and the transformative power of artistic creation.

In the first section, Galvin introduces the image of turkey buzzards circling overhead. These birds, often associated with death and decay, are presented matter-of-factly: “They’re just doing their job. / They aren’t complaining, either.” This portrayal of the buzzards underscores a natural acceptance of their role in the ecosystem, detached from any deeper symbolic meaning. The casual comparison of the buzzards to teenagers at a Dairy Queen further demystifies them, suggesting a simple, almost mundane pursuit of sustenance.

The second section shifts to a more unsettling scene at a BBQ on Independence Day. Here, the appearance of “hundreds of buzzards, maybe thousands” takes on a more ominous tone. The phrase “a black blizzard of rancid / Plumes” evokes a sense of overwhelming and unavoidable decay. The buzzards’ presence at this celebration of freedom and national identity hints at a deeper, perhaps subconscious recognition of societal decline: “I don’t know what / It meant, but it meant something.” This ambiguity invites readers to ponder the juxtaposition of celebration and decay, and the unsettling reminder of mortality amidst festivities.

The third section introduces a more intimate and artistic perspective. The speaker’s lady draws flowers with meticulous care, capturing their intricate details in black ink: “Pistils and stamens, stems and veins, / Paintbrush, wild iris, sage leaves and phlox.” Her art transforms nature into “swift fragile lines,” preserving the ephemeral beauty of flowers and birds in “irrefutable black.” The act of drawing becomes a means of arresting time, of capturing the fleeting and making it eternal. This section highlights the contrast between the natural decay observed earlier and the timeless beauty preserved through art. Notably, she “never draws buzzards,” perhaps indicating a deliberate choice to focus on beauty and life rather than decay.

In the final section, the poem returns to the natural landscape and the daily routines that ground the speaker. The image of the lady in “a slight summer shift / And a big shady straw hat” crossing the hill to her studio underlines a serene, almost pastoral scene. The speaker, meanwhile, is engaged in the practical task of fixing a fence, an act of maintenance and preservation. The fragrance of crushed sage and flowers under his tires evokes a sensory explosion, linking back to the earlier imagery of flowers and nature. The comparison of her sketchbook to a “black blizzard” when she closes it ties the themes of creation and destruction together, suggesting that even in art, there is a recognition of impermanence.

"Natura Morta" captures the tension between the ephemeral and the eternal, the natural and the artistic. Galvin’s use of detailed imagery and varying tones—from the casual to the ominous to the contemplative—creates a rich tapestry that reflects on how we perceive and interact with the world around us. Through the lens of the turkey buzzards, the Independence Day BBQ, and the lady’s art, the poem explores how we find meaning in the cycles of life and death, and how art can both capture and transcend these cycles.

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