Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Jorge Luis Borges' poem "To a Saxon Poet" ("A Un Poeta Sajón") is a tribute to an anonymous Anglo-Saxon bard, whose work, though largely forgotten by time, once resonated with the fierce and epic spirit of his age. The poem reflects on themes of memory, history, and the enduring power of poetry. Borges connects his own poetic voice with that of the ancient poet, bridging the gap between the past and present, and expressing a shared longing for immortality through verse.

The poem begins by addressing the Saxon poet directly: "You whose flesh, now dust and planet, / Once weighed like ours on earth." Here, Borges acknowledges the physical reality of the poet, now reduced to dust, yet once as alive and substantial as any human being. The phrase "dust and planet" evokes the idea of the poet’s body returning to the earth, becoming part of the cosmos, while also suggesting that his legacy, though forgotten, remains embedded in the world.

Borges reflects on the poet’s perspective, noting that he "lived not in the rigid past / But in a ceaseless present / At the topmost point and dizzying apex of time." This line captures the immediacy and intensity of the poet’s experience, suggesting that he lived fully in his moment, at the height of his time. The "ceaseless present" implies a vibrant and ongoing engagement with life, history, and art, unbound by the limitations of chronological time.

The poem continues by describing the poet’s creative environment: "Who in your monastery heard the call / Of the epic’s ancient voice." This setting places the poet in a monastic context, where the sacred and the heroic intertwine. The "epic’s ancient voice" refers to the tradition of oral storytelling and epic poetry, which the Saxon poet would have been a part of, drawing inspiration from the tales of heroism and battle that defined his culture.

Borges celebrates the poet’s craftsmanship and the themes he chose to explore: "Who wove words / And sang the victory at Brunanburh, / Ascribing it not to God / But to your king’s sword edge." The mention of the Battle of Brunanburh, a significant conflict in Anglo-Saxon history, highlights the poet’s role in commemorating and glorifying his people’s victories. Borges emphasizes that the poet attributed success not to divine intervention but to the "sword edge" of his king, reflecting a warrior culture that prized martial prowess and valor.

The poet's joy in celebrating the tools of war—"swords hammered out of iron," "The Norseman’s shame," and "The banquet of raven and eagle"—is conveyed with "fierce joy." These images evoke the brutal realities of battle, where swords, shame, and death were ever-present, yet also celebrated as part of the heroic tradition. The "banquet of raven and eagle" is a metaphor for the scavengers that feasted on the bodies of the fallen, a grim reminder of the costs of war, yet also a ritualistic acknowledgment of the cycle of life and death.

Borges then reflects on the poet’s understanding of history: "You who in an age without history / Saw in the present the past / And in the blood and sweat of Brunanburh / A mirror of ancient sunrises." This passage suggests that the Saxon poet, living in a time before written history as we understand it, viewed his present as a continuation of the past. The events of his time were seen as reflections of ancient patterns, as "mirrors of ancient sunrises," linking the contemporary to the eternal.

The poem shifts to the present, where Borges laments the poet's obscurity: "Today you are but a few words / That Germanic scholars annotate." This line acknowledges the poet's diminished legacy, now confined to academic study and footnotes in scholarly works. Despite this, Borges takes up the poet’s mantle: "Today you are my voice / When it calls back to life your iron words." In this act of poetic resurrection, Borges gives new life to the Saxon poet's words, merging his own voice with that of the ancient bard.

Borges concludes the poem with a personal reflection on his own legacy: "Of my gods or of the sum of time I ask / That my days attain oblivion, / That like Ulysses I may be called No One." This wish for oblivion and anonymity echoes the humility of the Saxon poet, who did not seek personal glory. Borges expresses a desire to be remembered not as a person but through his poetry, much like the anonymous poet he admires.

The final lines express a hope that some of his verses will survive: "But that some verse of mine survive / On a night favorable to memory / Or in the mornings of men." Borges imagines a future where his words, like those of the Saxon poet, might be recalled in moments of reflection or inspiration, continuing the legacy of poetry as a bridge across time.

"To a Saxon Poet" is a meditation on the impermanence of life and the enduring power of poetry. Borges honors the anonymous poets of the past, acknowledging their contributions to cultural memory while expressing his own hope for a similar kind of immortality through his work. The poem is both a tribute and a reflection on the universal human desire to leave something lasting behind, even in the face of inevitable obscurity. Through his words, Borges connects with the ancient past, affirming the continuity of the poetic tradition and the shared human experience it seeks to capture.

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