Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Albert Goldbarth’s poem "The Well" intertwines the pastoral and peaceful imagery of Edward Hicks' paintings with deeper insights into the artist's psychological and emotional landscape. Goldbarth juxtaposes Hicks' idealized visions of harmony with the complexities and darker undercurrents of his personal life, creating a multi-layered reflection on art, memory, and redemption.

In the first part of the poem, Goldbarth draws on John Berger's quote about Millet, emphasizing how childhood perceptions can magnify and distort reality. This idea is mirrored in Hicks' recurring theme of the "Peaceable Kingdom," where predators and prey coexist in an idyllic harmony. Goldbarth's description of these scenes — "A wolf will nuzzle it. A wolf and a lamb, / a yang and a yin, will be one simple design" — highlights the almost surreal tranquility Hicks sought to capture. The imagery of animals posing like weather vanes and heading toward "the future, a sweet and peaceful wind blows" reinforces the utopian vision that contrasts sharply with the tumultuous reality of human nature and history.

The second part of the poem delves into Hicks' personal struggles and feelings of guilt, as suggested by Abraham A. Davidson. Here, Goldbarth brings the reader into the artist's inner turmoil and creative process. The imagery of "The Dragon and Calf" painting, with its transformation through the artist's labor, symbolizes Hicks' attempt to wrestle with and transform his own ferocity and guilt into something beautiful and peaceful. The vivid description of Hicks' nocturnal work, "all afternoon, in labor over what the plains of my first three peaceable kingdoms required," portrays the artist's relentless pursuit of an ideal, despite his own imperfections and the sordid realities of life, such as his encounter with "a room of guzzle and guffaw . . . and women."

Goldbarth further explores the theme of cleansing and redemption through the motif of water. The act of Hicks drinking deeply from a pewter pitcher, "recognizing the power it takes to cleanse," symbolizes a moment of purification and renewal. This connection to water is poignantly revisited in the third part, with the reference to the Delaware River, a pure and refreshing symbol that signifies the possibility of finding peace and innocence again.

The final part of the poem brings in Abraham A. Davidson's observation about Hicks' "Residence of David Twining, 1787," a nostalgic recreation of a peaceful childhood. Goldbarth elaborates on the meticulous and harmonious details of the painting, using imagery that evokes stability and order. The land, the animals, and the people are depicted with a sense of balance and tranquility, reflecting Hicks' longing for a simpler, more innocent time. The presence of the pump, likened to a well, symbolizes a source of sustenance and renewal that is always available if one is willing to seek it. This well, much like the artistic and emotional wellspring Hicks drew from, offers the promise of restoration and continuity.

Goldbarth's poem masterfully captures the dualities within Hicks' life and work — the tension between guilt and redemption, turmoil and peace, reality and idealization. Through rich imagery and thoughtful reflection, "The Well" provides a nuanced portrait of an artist striving to reconcile his inner conflicts with his vision of a harmonious world. The poem suggests that, like the pump in Hicks' painting, the well of creativity and redemption is always present, waiting for those who seek to draw from it, offering hope and renewal amidst the complexities of life.

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