Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Table" by Donald Hall is a richly evocative poem that captures the essence of rural life, childhood memories, and the deep connections between family and nature. Through a series of vivid images and sensory details, Hall transports the reader to a simpler time, highlighting the quiet beauty and profound moments that shape our lives.

The poem begins with a nostalgic scene: "Walking back to the farm from the depot, Riley slapped flies with his tail. / Twilight. Crickets scraped / in the green standing hay by the road." The setting is one of twilight, where the day transitions to night, and the natural world is alive with sounds and movements. Riley, presumably a horse, is a constant presence, grounding the poem in the physical labor and companionship of farm life.

Hall introduces the voice of the grandfather, a significant figure in the poem: "The voice of my grandfather spoke through a motion of gnats. / I held his hand. I entered the sway of a horse." This line suggests a mystical connection between the grandfather's voice and the natural world, as if his presence permeates the environment. The act of holding the grandfather's hand and entering "the sway of a horse" conveys a sense of comfort and guidance.

The poem shifts to the interior of the farmhouse: "At the brown table / I propped books on each other. / All morning in the room my skin took into itself small discs of coolness." This imagery evokes a peaceful, contemplative atmosphere, where the speaker engages with books and absorbs the coolness of the room. The brown table becomes a central symbol, representing stability and the passage of knowledge and tradition.

Hall describes a series of sensory experiences: "Then I walked in the cut hayfield by the barn, and lay alone in the little valley of noon heat, in the village of little sounds. / Grasshoppers / tickled my neck and I let them." The tactile and auditory sensations create a vivid picture of the speaker's immersion in the natural world. The "little valley of noon heat" and "village of little sounds" highlight the intimacy and tranquility of the setting.

The presence of the grandfather is a recurring theme: "My grandfather / clanked up the road on his mowing machine, behind Riley dark with sweat." This line reinforces the grandfather's role as a hardworking, constant figure in the speaker's life. The image of Riley, "dark with sweat," emphasizes the physical labor and effort involved in farm work.

The poem moves through the day's activities, from fetching water for the horses to eating lunch and raking hay: "For lunch I sliced an onion. / Then we raked hay into mounds and my grandfather pitched it up where I tucked it in place on the hayrack." These detailed descriptions of daily tasks highlight the rhythms and routines of farm life, underscoring the bond between the speaker and his grandfather.

The poem concludes with a reflective tone: "This morning / I walk to the shaded bedroom and lean on the drop-leaf table. / The table hums / a song to itself, without sense, and I hear the voice of the heaving ribs of Riley, and grasshoppers / haying the fields of the air." The return to the present moment, with the speaker leaning on the drop-leaf table, brings the poem full circle. The table, humming a "song to itself," becomes a symbol of continuity and memory. The sounds of Riley and the grasshoppers evoke the past, blending the speaker's childhood memories with the present.

"The Table" by Donald Hall masterfully captures the essence of rural life and the deep connections between family, nature, and memory. Through rich sensory imagery and reflective narration, Hall creates a vivid, intimate portrait of a world where the past and present coexist, and where the bonds of love and tradition endure.

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