Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Still, Citizen Sparrow," penned by Richard Wilbur, is a multilayered poem that touches upon the tension between natural and unnatural, perceptions of beauty, and the inevitability of death, all through the lens of a sparrow's view of a vulture. The poem delves into these themes while invoking biblical allusions and challenging our human-centric worldviews.

The poem opens with the imagery of a vulture, perceived by the sparrow-and by extension, by human society-as "unnatural." The vulture here stands as a figure of scorn, often looked down upon for its role as a scavenger. Yet, Wilbur argues, let this bird take to the sky, and its majesty becomes undeniable. The vulture, then, serves a dual purpose: on the one hand, it symbolizes those aspects of life we'd rather not think about, like decay and death; on the other hand, it embodies beauty, freedom, and natural harmony-when seen from the right perspective.

The vulture's role, we learn, is not just to serve as a reminder of death but also as a custodian of life. He "devours death, mocks mutability," keeping the cycle of life in motion. The message here is clear: even those things that seem repugnant serve a purpose and possess a beauty that is, unfortunately, often overlooked. This point is encapsulated in the lines, "He shoulders nature there, the frightfully free, / The naked-headed one."

The second part of the poem draws upon the Biblical tale of Noah, shifting the focus from the bird's perspective to a human one. The speaker urges us to forget Noah's destruction, the "wheezy gnaw" of his saw, and the calamity that befell Earth. Rather, he nudges us to empathize with Noah's weary journey, bearing the weight of "his only world, and everyone's" upon his shoulders. Much like the vulture, Noah, too, is a custodian-albeit a more contentious one-responsible for maintaining the balance of life, even if it entails a significant disruption and loss.

Here Wilbur employs a subtle yet powerful shift in tone. The initial part of the poem almost chastises the sparrow for its limited perspective, while the latter half encourages the "childheart" to forgive and understand the complexity of Noah's position. Both sections probe the necessity for a broader view-one that doesn't just look at immediate, individual concerns but also takes into account the greater good, the larger cycles of nature, and even the unwelcome aspects of existence.

The poem, therefore, is an invitation for reflection. It asks us to consider those figures-be they vultures or ancient heroes-who shoulder the world's less pleasant realities. These are the figures who deal with the aspects of existence we'd rather ignore, but in doing so, they keep "nature new," they preserve the balance of things, and they manifest beauty in forms we might not immediately recognize. In a way, Wilbur suggests that to truly appreciate life, one must also make room for death, for it is this balance that keeps nature in eternal renewal.

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