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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Afternoon Sleep" by Robert Bly is a deeply reflective and evocative poem that traverses the landscapes of dreams, memory, and solitude. Through a series of vivid vignettes, Bly explores themes of nostalgia, loss, and the passage of time, weaving together personal and communal histories into a rich tapestry of human experience. The first section of the poem begins with the speaker emerging from the "mountains of sleep," a metaphor that suggests a journey through the deep and layered terrain of the subconscious. The dream of gazing east over a sunny field from the running board of an old Model A evokes a sense of nostalgia and tranquility, connecting the speaker to a past both idyllic and irretrievable. The mention of dreaming of his wife and the subsequent reflection on the loneliness that "lies near a man over thirty" introduces a theme of existential solitude that accompanies adulthood and the awareness of passing time. In the second section, the poem shifts to the story of Joe Sjolie, a farmer who, upon growing tired, sells his farm and abandons his previous life, including his dog. This narrative encapsulates themes of abandonment, change, and the impact of such decisions on those left behind, represented by the loyal dog refusing food from strangers. Joe's departure speaks to a broader human impulse to seek renewal or escape but also highlights the residues of absence and loss that such departures leave in their wake. The third section returns to the speaker's perspective as he visits the abandoned farm, a place "Alone on a hill, sheltered by trees." The description of the setting, with its "matted grass" and open door, conveys a sense of desolation and forgotten history. The discovery of "old abandoned books" and "instructions to Norwegian" inside the house serves as a poignant reminder of the lives that once filled these spaces, now relegated to silence and obscurity. "Afternoon Sleep" is a meditation on the transient nature of life, the inevitable drift into solitude and anonymity that individuals and their legacies undergo. Bly masterfully uses the motif of sleep and awakening as a framework for contemplating the intersections of dream and reality, past and present, and the enduring search for connection and meaning amidst the inexorable flow of time. Through this poem, Bly invites readers to reflect on their own journeys through the landscapes of memory and the imprints of absence, urging a deeper engagement with the narratives of loss and continuity that define the human condition.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE PRODIGAL SON by ROBERT BLY VARIATIONS: 11 by CONRAD AIKEN CLARE'S DRAGOONS by THOMAS OSBORNE DAVIS CHIQUITA by FRANCIS BRET HARTE THE PACIFIC RAILWAY by C. R. BALLARD SONNET: 10 by RICHARD BARNFIELD A BERKSHIRE HOLIDAY by CLIFFORD BAX S. JOHN BAPTIST by JOSEPH BEAUMONT |
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