Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Crossing a River" by David Wagoner is a reflective and richly textured meditation on the challenges, choices, and transience of human endeavors, framed within the metaphor of a river crossing. The poem captures the tension between nature’s indifference and human ambition, presenting a vivid tableau of the river as both a barrier and a guide.

The poem begins by situating the speaker at the river?s edge, emphasizing its immediacy and power: “You kneel on the verge of this impassable arroyo.” The description of the river, brimming with "pumice and all," signals its raw, unfiltered force—a stark contrast to the "easy dust" of dry land that preceded it. This sets the stage for the river as an embodiment of the unexpected and uncontrollable forces in life, challenging the speaker’s intent to reach "the impossible place you had meant to go."

Wagoner’s language is both literal and metaphorical, transforming the river into a symbol of both obstacles and opportunities. The act of drinking directly from the river, "not from the sealed lips / Of your canteen but...from your hands," reflects an intimate and unmediated encounter with nature’s unyielding reality. It’s a moment of acceptance, where the speaker acknowledges the necessity of adapting to the river’s presence rather than resisting it.

The river itself is vividly rendered as a dynamic and unpredictable entity. Phrases like "all cutbanks and no point bars" and "leapfrogging bedload" convey its energy and relentless motion, underscoring its refusal to be easily traversed or controlled. The imagery of branches, rocks, and bushes being swept away illustrates the river?s dominance over even the seemingly stable and rooted. In this context, the river symbolizes life?s volatility and the futility of clinging to rigid plans in the face of such overwhelming force.

The speaker considers various responses to the river: waiting for it to dwindle, climbing upstream to its source, or moving along its flow. Each option reflects a philosophical stance toward life’s challenges. Waiting implies passivity and patience, trusting that obstacles will eventually resolve themselves. Climbing upstream suggests a pursuit of origins or causes, a search for meaning or resolution at the river’s source. However, the poem undercuts this approach with the revelation that the source is “just seasonally bad weather running off cloudy spillways,” an acknowledgment of nature’s cyclical and indifferent processes.

Ultimately, the speaker chooses to follow the river downstream, aligning with its temporary and transitory nature. This decision reflects a pragmatic acceptance of life’s impermanence and a willingness to "get somewhere / The way it does: temporarily." The river’s course, shaped by the weakness of the ground beneath it, mirrors human vulnerability and the necessity of adapting to shifting circumstances. Its eventual disappearance into the playa, where water seeps underground, becomes a poignant metaphor for the unseen and enduring undercurrents of existence.

The concluding lines mark a moment of liberation and resolution: “Here you are free to cross.” The river’s subsidence allows the speaker to move forward, suggesting that obstacles, however formidable, are ultimately transient. The shift to "a different level" signifies a change in perspective, a recognition that progress often involves letting go of the need for dominance or permanence. The act of crossing becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey, encapsulating the themes of adaptation, humility, and the search for equilibrium.

Structurally, the poem’s fluid, enjambed lines echo the movement of the river, reinforcing its thematic connection to flow and continuity. Wagoner’s use of second-person narration invites readers to place themselves in the speaker’s position, making the river crossing a shared experience of introspection and discovery.

"Crossing a River" is a masterful exploration of the interplay between human ambition and natural forces. Through its vivid imagery and contemplative tone, the poem encourages readers to embrace the impermanence of life and find freedom in adaptability. By following the river’s example, we learn to navigate our own challenges with resilience and grace, trusting in the possibilities that lie ahead.

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