Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "The Great Bear," John Hollander contemplates the nature of perception, memory, and the imaginative act of tracing constellations in the night sky. Through the metaphor of the constellation Ursa Major, or the Great Bear, Hollander explores how humans construct meaning and impose patterns on the randomness of the universe, all while reflecting on the inherent subjectivity and fallibility of these endeavors.

The poem opens with a scene where children are led out onto hilltops on clear nights to observe the stars. Despite their supple minds and the guidance they receive, the children struggle to see the Great Bear in the sky. This difficulty is not due to the absence of the stars but rather to the challenge of connecting the dots in a meaningful way. The "gruff round image / From a remembered page" and the attempts to trace the constellation with a finger highlight the gap between memory, representation, and perception.

Hollander suggests that seeing the constellation requires more than just looking at the stars; it requires an act of interpretation and imagination. The poem acknowledges the satisfaction when someone finally exclaims, "I see it now!" or even "Very like a bear!" This moment of recognition brings a sense of gratitude, yet it also underscores the poem's central tension: the bear is not really there. It exists only in the minds of those who seek it out and impose the pattern upon the stars.

The speaker reflects on the reliability of memory and the difficulty of conveying the exact location of stars to others. This is exemplified in the lines, "For one's own finger aims / Always elsewhere: the man beside one seems / Never to get the point." The inherent challenge of aligning one's perception with another's is a metaphor for the broader difficulty of communication and shared understanding. Each person sees the stars slightly differently, and the intended star is often missed by others, emphasizing the subjective nature of observation.

The poem moves into a philosophical meditation on the necessity and utility of these star patterns. Hollander posits that constellations are not intrinsic to the stars themselves but are human constructions meant to provide bearings and meaning. He writes, "To understand / The signs that stars compose, we need depend / Only on stars that are entirely there / And the apparent space between them." This suggests that the shapes we see in the stars are not inherent but are created by the spaces and connections we draw between them.

The poem addresses the role of fear and the unknown, particularly in the smallest, most frightened child who sees "Nothing but stars" yet claims a bear frightens him. This fear, though irrational, serves a purpose: it helps us navigate our way through the darkness and the unknown, both literal and metaphorical. The fear of the imagined bear, much like the comfort of the familiar dipper, helps us make sense of the world and find our way.

Hollander concludes by questioning the necessity of believing in the Great Bear or any specific constellation. He suggests that while constellations like "Crab, bull, and ram" provide useful patterns, they are ultimately arbitrary. The Great Bear, in particular, is "most like any one, taken / At random," a reminder that these patterns are constructs rather than inherent truths. The final lines drive this point home: "If it were best, / Even, to have it there (such a great bear! / All hung with stars!), there still would be no bear." The Great Bear is a projection of human imagination, a way to impose order on the chaos of the night sky.

In "The Great Bear," Hollander invites readers to reflect on the ways we seek meaning and structure in the world around us. The poem beautifully captures the tension between the randomness of the universe and the human desire to find patterns, showing how these constructions are both necessary and illusory. Through the metaphor of the constellation, Hollander explores the complexities of perception, memory, and the shared quest for understanding in a world that often defies easy interpretation.

In "The Hidden Ones," John Hollander delves into the mystical and often unsettling presence of unseen forces in nature, blending vivid imagery with a deep exploration of the hidden and the sacred. The poem moves through different elements—woods, fields, water, and twilight—each revealing a layer of the unseen, evoking a sense of both wonder and foreboding.

The poem begins with a vivid scene of panic in the woods, capturing the chaos and fear embodied by a "bewildered / Buck in the maddened moon-color of stumps." This imagery immediately sets a tone of confusion and disturbance, with the buck smashing through "deadened / Timber," creating a sense of violence and desperation. The listener, presumably human, is clutching to this scene, perhaps both fascinated and terrified by the raw power of nature.

Hollander then shifts to a calmer but equally mysterious scene: "no wet goat-horns hid among the dark, / Acknowledging, sacred branches." This suggests a mythical presence, perhaps a reference to the god Pan or other nature deities, who remain unseen yet influential. The "wild surge of panic's name" implies that these hidden beings are still active, maintaining their own rituals and festivals away from human sight.

The poem continues to explore the idea of waiting and watching, with "They who wait, wait / Behind the hoardings of ramshackle words." This line suggests that there are truths and entities hidden behind the facade of language and human understanding. The mention of "Mother Golden in the cereal field" introduces a nurturing, almost divine figure who "burnishes the grain and dross," imbuing the natural world with sacred significance. Her actions, "breathing rough / Aspirations amongst dancing straws," convey a sense of life and vitality infused into the mundane.

Hollander introduces a "Deus in the graciousness of day," a god-like figure who embodies the sky and its movements. This being, "drunk with skyeyness," moves between high spaces, bearing human "gains and losses." This image reinforces the interconnectedness of the divine and the earthly, suggesting that the divine shapes human experiences and emotions.

The poem then turns to water, describing "Undinal flanks" that glide and sink, hinting at mythical water beings or spirits. These beings are connected to "Father Form," a paternal figure who shapes their "uncertain substance." The daughters, moving through water in various forms—tears, raindrops, waves—highlight the fluidity and ever-changing nature of the hidden forces at play.

Even in the seemingly ordinary act of walking, Hollander finds traces of these hidden ones. The "rare walker" encounters "warning / Splashes of faltering, unreal light," and the "alarming ring surrounding / Lamplight itself" is made of their dance. This dance, though unseen, creates an atmosphere of unease and wonder, suggesting that the hidden ones are always present, influencing the world from the shadows.

The poem concludes with a powerful image of the "unwintered heart" that reaches out with "trembling hands made of the eye's last glance." This suggests a moment of revelation or epiphany, where the hidden ones reveal themselves to those who are open and perceptive enough to see them. The trembling hands signify both fear and awe, capturing the dual nature of encountering the divine or the unknown.

In "The Hidden Ones," John Hollander masterfully intertwines natural and mythical imagery to explore the presence of unseen forces in the world. The poem's rich language and evocative scenes invite readers to look beyond the surface and consider the deeper, often hidden connections between nature, divinity, and human experience. Through this exploration, Hollander reveals the profound mystery and sacredness that lie beneath the ordinary, urging a recognition of the unseen forces that shape our world.

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