Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Foreseeing the Journey," James Applewhite engages in a contemplative reflection, blending the literal with the metaphorical to explore themes of life's journey, the passage of time, and familial lineage. Lying awake, the narrator is enveloped by the continuous breath of a fan, which serves as a catalyst for his journey through memory and anticipation. This mechanical breathing becomes a symbol for the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of change.

The setting, a simple street in a small town, becomes a microcosm of the world, symbolizing the familiar confines from which life's journeys are embarked. The mention of a canoe trip with his son symbolizes the guidance we seek to provide for the next generation, navigating through the perils and wonders of life, represented by the imagery of moccasins and passion-flowers, elements that evoke danger and beauty respectively.

The fan's rumble transforms the narrator's surroundings, lifting his home into the realm of imagination, akin to a zeppelin or a scene from Huck Finn—a house adrift on a flood. This transformation allows the narrator to traverse the landscapes of his literary influences, Zane Grey and Edgar Rice Burroughs, highlighting the role of storytelling and imagination in shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves.

The narrator's flight through the attic, among the gifts and memories of Christmases past, symbolizes a journey through time, where the spirits of relatives and the youthful innocence of figures like Almon blend with the narrator's current state of reflection. This mingling of past and present emphasizes the continuity of life and the haunting presence of what has been lost or changed.

The question posed, "Would any of us be born into the world / If we had it to do over?" reflects a contemplation of existence itself, weighing the beauty against the pain, the adventures against the losses. The fan, with its dangerous, exposed blades installed by the narrator's father—a man marked by his own encounter with mechanical danger—symbolizes the inherent risks and uncertainties of life.

As the poem concludes, the narrator seeks comfort in the familiarity of a green blanket, likening it to the jungle—an image that resonates with the adventures of Tarzan (Lord Greystoke). This act of pulling the jungle over his body serves as an acceptance of life's journey with all its dangers and wonders, embracing the wild, untamed aspects of existence as part of the human condition.

"Foreseeing the Journey" is a rich tapestry of memory, anticipation, and reflection, where the physical and the metaphysical converge, revealing the complex layers of human experience against the backdrop of the natural and imagined worlds.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Yellow_Shoe_Poets/2D6aqhb651oC?q=BACA+%22MEN+LATE+AT+NIGHT+COOK+COFFEE+IN+RUSTY+CANS%22&gbpv=1&bsq=FORESEEING#f=false

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