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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
The poem begins with a striking image: "An Armenian funeral on Mount Zion: the coffin is carried, wobbling, like a bit of straw in a procession of black ants." This simile immediately sets a tone of solemnity and fragility. The comparison of the coffin to a piece of straw emphasizes the vulnerability and insignificance of human life in the face of death. The procession of mourners is likened to a line of black ants, suggesting a collective, almost ritualistic, aspect of mourning, where individuals come together in their grief, moving in unison like insects following a natural, ingrained path. The detail of the widow's "black purse gleams in the setting sun" adds a poignant visual element to the scene. The gleaming purse amidst the somber funeral procession stands out, possibly symbolizing the small yet significant memories and connections that the bereaved hold onto. The gleam in the sunset could also reflect the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of its end. The poem concludes with a reflection on the human condition in the absence of divine intervention: "That you are Our Father, that he is Our King, that we have no Savior in our time." These lines evoke a sense of abandonment and existential solitude. The acknowledgment of a paternal deity ("Our Father") and a royal figure ("Our King") is juxtaposed with the stark realization of having "no Savior in our time." This can be interpreted as a commentary on the human experience of loss and the search for comfort and meaning in times of sorrow. It suggests a feeling of being alone in one's grief, without a higher power to provide solace or deliverance. In "Songs of Zion the Beautiful: 17," Amichai captures a moment that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. The poem reflects on themes of mortality, grief, and the search for meaning in the face of death. Through its vivid imagery and contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of loss and the ways in which they seek comfort and understanding in a world where divine intervention may seem absent. POEM TEXT: POEM TEXT::
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WIND'S VISIT by EMILY DICKINSON THE PESSIMIST by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING MODERN LOVE: 43 by GEORGE MEREDITH NOBODY KNOWS BUT MOTHER by MARY MORRISON SIDNEY GODOLPHIN by CLINTON SCOLLARD ONLY A YEAR' by HARRIET BEECHER STOWE RIFLEMAN FORM! by ALFRED TENNYSON |
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