Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem opens with an image of children engaging in the winter tradition of creating a snowman, an activity that is both innocent and imbued with the shadow of death, who is described as "ludicrous / but king too." The snowman, with "coal eyes" and a "ruined mouth," becomes a figure that surveys its temporary kingdom, a landscape that mirrors its own transient existence. The coal eyes and ruined mouth suggest a form of communication and perception that is starkly different from that of the living, emphasizing the snowman's role as a silent observer of the winter scene.

Berrigan personifies the snowman, giving it a voice to declare "it is all like me," an assertion that reflects the snowman's recognition of its own nature as a temporary construct, devoid of the vibrant colors of life ("no blue or red of vein") and the warmth of a beating heart. This realization underscores the poem's meditation on the parallels between the snowman's fleeting existence and the human condition, marked by the inevitability of death and the longing for something more enduring.

The reference to "The dwarf at shoulder, looking out of eyes / secret and simian" adds a layer of complexity to the snowman's character, introducing an element of inner conflict or duality. This figure could represent the part of the self that is cunning, primitive, and perhaps more in tune with the realities of existence, which the snowman chooses to "dispense with."

The snowman's desire for uniformity and simplicity, "But head to boot one element, one temperate cold requiring," speaks to a longing for coherence and unity in a world that is often chaotic and fragmented. This longing is further emphasized by the snowman's plea to be spared the sight of the "unlike world," with its warmth, vitality, and complexity, which stand in stark contrast to its own monochromatic and cold nature.

"Snowman" is a richly layered poem that invites readers to reflect on the beauty and poignancy of ephemeral creations, whether they be made of snow or flesh and blood. Berrigan's use of the snowman as a metaphor for the human experience of life and death, coupled with the longing for meaning and permanence, offers a poignant commentary on the universal themes of existence, identity, and the search for solace in the face of mortality.

POEM TEXT: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=28050

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