Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Louis Simpson's poem "To the Western World" reflects on the historical journey of exploration and conquest that led Europeans to the Americas, drawing a line from the myths and ambitions of the Old World to the harsh realities of the New World. Through its lyrical and contemplative tone, the poem explores themes of discovery, colonization, and the ongoing process of "civilizing" the land, highlighting the contrast between the dreams of the past and the realities of the present.

The poem opens with a reference to a "siren," a figure from Greek mythology whose song lured sailors to their doom. In this context, the siren represents the call of exploration, which seduced Europe to turn away from its traditional, familiar ways—"the high castle and the shepherd’s crook"—and venture into the unknown. This turning away symbolizes a shift from the established order and pastoral life to the pursuit of new worlds and new riches, driven by the allure of distant lands.

The mention of "three caravels"—the ships of Christopher Columbus—sets the historical stage for the poem. These ships, sent "sailing to Cathay" (a historical name for China), represent the European quest for the riches of the East, a quest that ultimately led them to the Americas instead. The captains who "shook / Their banners out across the Mexique Bay" are figures of both ambition and imperialism, unfurling their flags as symbols of conquest and claiming new territories in the name of their sovereigns.

Simpson then draws a parallel between these early explorers and the later settlers of America: "And in our early days we did the same. / Remembering our fathers in their wreck / We crossed the sea from Palos where they came." This line connects the speaker’s own lineage to the original explorers, suggesting a continuity of purpose and struggle. The image of "a shore in silence waiting for a name" captures the moment of arrival, when the vast, uncharted land of America first came into view. The "shore in silence" is both a blank canvas and a place of untapped potential, waiting to be claimed, named, and transformed.

However, the poem acknowledges the gap between the expectations of the explorers and the reality they encountered. "The treasures of Cathay were never found" underscores the fact that the riches they sought—gold, spices, and the fabled wealth of the East—were not to be found in the New World. Instead, the settlers faced "this America, this wilderness / Where the axe echoes with a lonely sound." This line evokes the isolation and hardship of the early colonists, who found themselves in a vast, untamed land, where the sound of the axe cutting through the forest is a solitary echo, emphasizing the loneliness and struggle of their endeavor.

The poem concludes with a somber reflection on the ongoing process of settlement and colonization: "The generations labor to possess / And grave by grave we civilize the ground." Here, Simpson captures the relentless, often grim work of turning wilderness into civilization. The phrase "grave by grave" starkly reminds us that this process is not without its costs; it is a labor that is passed down through generations, with each new generation laying claim to the land, often at the cost of lives lost to the harshness of frontier life. The word "civilize" is loaded with irony, as it suggests both the development of society and the imposition of European values and structures onto the land, often at the expense of indigenous peoples and the natural environment.

"To the Western World" is a reflective and critical meditation on the legacy of European exploration and colonization in the Americas. Through its exploration of historical and cultural themes, Simpson’s poem captures the tension between the mythic allure of the New World and the harsh, often brutal realities of settlement. It invites readers to consider the complexities of history, the costs of progress, and the ways in which the past continues to shape the present. The poem’s imagery and tone evoke both the grandeur of the explorers’ vision and the melancholy of their unfulfilled dreams, creating a nuanced portrait of the Western world’s origins.

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