Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Donald Justice’s “Nostalgia and Complaint of the Grandparents” is a meditation on memory, loss, and the passage of time, articulated through the voices of grandparents reflecting on their past and their present state in the afterlife. The poem evokes a sense of longing for the mundane yet cherished moments of life, juxtaposed with the static and detached existence of the dead.

The poem opens with an epigraph from Jules Laforgue, setting a tone of somber reflection on the dead’s confinement: “Les morts / C’est sous terre; / Ça n’en sort / Guère” (The dead / are underground; / They hardly ever / Come out). This sentiment permeates the poem, as the grandparents reminisce about their past while lamenting their current state of immobility.

Justice begins with an image of old diaries, “squatted, toad-like, / On dark closet ledges,” suggesting forgotten memories gathering dust in the recesses of life. The “Forget-me-not and thistle / Decalcomaned the pages” hints at the blend of tender and painful memories recorded in these diaries. The grandparents question the whereabouts of “All the sad squalors / Of those between-wars parlors,” invoking the in-between periods of relative peace and mundane domesticity, characterized by “Cut flowers” and “sunlight spilt like soda / On torporous rugs.”

The repetition of “The dead / Don’t get around much anymore” underscores the sense of disconnection and stagnation that comes with death. This line serves as a refrain, emphasizing the contrast between the active, bustling life they once knew and the stillness of their current existence.

The second stanza evokes a specific memory of daughters practicing arpeggios on Sunday afternoons, with their mothers listening proudly. This scene captures a moment of familial intimacy and cultural refinement, underscored by the setting sun described as “Bloodshot and aloof.” The grandparents recall the sense of timelessness they felt, believing “it would never set,” only to now be confronted with the unchanging nature of eternity where “The dead don’t get / Around much anymore.”

The third stanza extends this reflection to the broader experience of eternity, likened to “One long Sunday afternoon” where no traffic passes and cigar smoke curls lazily. This imagery evokes a sense of endless, monotonous tranquility. The grandparents express a plea to the living: “Children, have you nothing / For our cold sakes? / No tea? No little tea cakes?” This request for small gestures of remembrance highlights their desire for connection and the preservation of their memory.

The stanza concludes with the acknowledgment of nature’s occasional intrusion: “Sometimes now the rains disturb / Even our remote suburb.” This line suggests that even in death, the natural world continues to encroach upon their secluded existence, bringing with it a sense of dampness and decay, furthering their sense of isolation.

“Nostalgia and Complaint of the Grandparents” by Donald Justice is a poignant exploration of memory, loss, and the disconnection between life and death. Through vivid imagery and reflective language, Justice captures the essence of the grandparents’ longing for the past and their lament over their current state. The poem’s refrain, emphasizing the inactivity of the dead, underscores the contrast between the vibrant life they once knew and the stillness of their afterlife, inviting readers to reflect on the nature of memory and the enduring impact of the past.

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