Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Schuyler’s poem “Empathy and the New Year” is a rich meditation on the complexities of human experience, blending the mundane with the philosophical, and the personal with the universal. The poem is divided into two parts, each reflecting on the passage of time, the nature of reality, and the interplay between expectation and reality.

The poem opens with a quote from Lévi-Strauss, which sets a tone of skepticism toward the concept of empathy, framing it as something that might be viewed with suspicion because it suggests a departure from rational thought. This idea of empathy as a potential illusion is juxtaposed with an anecdote about Walt Whitman, who traveled from Camden to “there” only to reject the experience by saying, “Quit quoting,” before heading back. This anecdote, like much of Schuyler’s work, is layered with meaning. Whitman, a figure often associated with deep emotional connection and empathy, rejects the idea of relying too heavily on words or quotations to capture the essence of experience. Schuyler seems to be suggesting that reality, or the truth of an experience, cannot be fully captured or understood through mere words or concepts—it is something that must be lived.

Schuyler’s skepticism extends to the nature of reality itself when he questions whether everything is “Maya, / illusion.” Yet, he quickly dismisses this notion, saying, “I / doubt it, though. Men are not / so inventive. Or / few are.” This brief reflection introduces the idea that the world, in all its complexity and confusion, is real and not merely an illusion, though our understanding of it may be limited or flawed.

The poem then shifts to a description of a weather phenomenon—snow that melts as it hits the ground. This image serves as a metaphor for the fleeting and often ambiguous nature of reality. The snow, which is neither fully rain nor fully snow, embodies the poem’s exploration of how difficult it can be to categorize or fully comprehend the experiences that make up our lives. Schuyler captures this ambiguity with the line, “To look out a window is to sense / wet feet,” highlighting the way that sensory experiences can be both clear and elusive.

As the poem transitions into the New Year, Schuyler reflects on the passage of time and the futility of making resolutions. He writes, “New Year is nearly here / and who, knowing himself, would / endanger his desires / resolving them / in a formula?” This line encapsulates the poem’s broader theme of uncertainty and the unpredictability of life. Schuyler recognizes that while we may have desires or make resolutions, the reality of life often defies our expectations, leaving us with little more than the passage of time and the unpredictability of what each new day will bring.

In the second part of the poem, Schuyler describes waking up in the early hours of the morning and pondering whether it is 1968 or 1969. This confusion about the year serves as a metaphor for the blurring of time and the way that past, present, and future can become indistinct in our memories and experiences. Schuyler’s reflections on Darwin, whom he admires for his modesty and surprise at his own accomplishments, suggest a yearning for clarity and understanding in the face of life’s uncertainties. Yet, even as he finds comfort in the idea of beginning a new year with a writer he loves, the reality of time’s passage—marked by the scraping of a snow shovel and the gradual lengthening of the days—reminds him that life continues its inexorable march forward.

The poem’s closing lines return to the theme of the interconnectedness of life, captured in the image of “the threads of life / for once seen as they are, / in ropes like roots.” This image evokes a sense of both grounding and entanglement, suggesting that while life may be complex and difficult to navigate, it is also rich with connections that bind us to one another and to the world around us.

“Empathy and the New Year” is a deeply introspective and thought-provoking poem that invites readers to reflect on the nature of time, reality, and human experience. Schuyler’s use of vivid imagery, coupled with his contemplative tone, creates a work that is both intimate and universal, capturing the uncertainties and complexities that define our lives as we move from one year to the next.

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