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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Prophecy" by Daniel Berrigan is a poignant and defiant poem that explores themes of vision, dissent, and the conflict between personal truth and societal laws. Berrigan's self-characterization as someone whose way of seeing the world is "strictly illegal" reflects a deep commitment to a moral and spiritual vision that challenges the status quo. Through vivid imagery and metaphors, the poem articulates the tension between the act of witnessing and bearing testimony to injustices and the legal and societal structures designed to suppress such acts. The opening lines immediately establish the radical nature of the speaker's perspective, equating personal vision with illegality. This declaration sets the tone for a meditation on the consequences of living according to one's conscience in a world that often criminalizes truth-telling and moral clarity. Berrigan compares himself to "a pickpocket, like the sun / like the hand that writes this, by my wits," suggesting that his survival and ability to shine light on dark places depend on cunning and resilience. The poem intensifies as Berrigan confronts the prohibition against seeing the world as it is and, more critically, insisting on communicating that vision. The imagery of "a conundrum, a fury, a burning bush" invokes the biblical story of Moses and the burning bush, symbolizing a divine call to action and the transformative power of encountering profound truth. Berrigan's use of "a blackened brush / on butcher sheets, black on white" to trace "that face which is not my own / (and my own)" captures the essence of the prophetic task: to reveal the shared human face of suffering and identify with those who are oppressed or marginalized. The colors black and white are loaded with symbolism, representing blood, death, and the starkness of moral choices in a world fraught with injustice. The poem then shifts to the consequences of this prophetic witnessing, anticipating the legal and physical dangers that come with challenging oppressive systems. The imagery of "the majestic jaws / of crocodiles in black shrouds" and the subsequent lines evoke a sense of menace and the predatory nature of legal and governmental forces aligned against truth-tellers. Berrigan concludes with a powerful rejection of the legal and societal attempts to silence him. The repetition of "not letting me / not / let blood" emphasizes his refusal to be complicit in the violence and injustice he observes. This final defiance underscores the poem's central message: the imperative to bear witness to the truth, regardless of the personal cost, is a moral duty that transcends legal restrictions. "Prophecy" is a testament to Daniel Berrigan's unwavering commitment to social justice, peace, and the power of the individual conscience against systemic injustice. Through its rich imagery and bold stance, the poem invites readers to consider their own responsibilities in confronting and speaking out against the injustices of their time. POEM TEXT: https://danielberrigan.org/poems/
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FRANCE: AN ODE by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE TO E. T.: 1917 by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE THE SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX [APRIL 9, 1865] by HERMAN MELVILLE SONG TO THE MEN OF ENGLAND by PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY IDYLLS OF THE KING: DEDICATION by ALFRED TENNYSON THE PRINCESS: LULLABY by ALFRED TENNYSON TO THE SAME PURPOSE by THOMAS TRAHERNE ODES: BOOK 1: ODE 3. TO A FRIEND UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOVE by MARK AKENSIDE |
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