Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The "Coda" of Basil Bunting's "Briggflatts" serves as a powerful conclusion to the epic poem, encapsulating its themes of journey, loss, and the search for meaning within the transient nature of existence. This final passage distills the essence of the poem's exploration into a series of evocative images and rhetorical questions, leaving the reader with a sense of unresolved longing and the perpetual motion of life.

"A strong song tows us, long earsick," immediately evokes the idea of being drawn forward by an unseen force, perhaps the compelling nature of life itself or the poet's own narrative. The song is both a guide and a representation of the allure of the unknown, pulling the speakers toward destinies they cannot foresee. The mention of being "earsick" suggests a weariness from listening, perhaps to the endless tales of human endeavor, or the siren call of the journey ahead.

"Blind, we follow / rain slant, spray flick / to fields we do not know," portrays the human condition as one of inherent uncertainty and vulnerability. The imagery of navigating through rain and spray, elements that distort vision and perception, reinforces the idea of moving through life without clear direction, guided only by faith or instinct to unknown destinations.

The stanza beginning with "Night, float us" personifies the night as a vessel or medium that can carry the speakers away from their current state, offering a form of escape or transition. The appeal to the offshore wind to "ask the sea / what’s lost, what’s left," serves as a metaphorical inquiry into the nature of loss and survival, questioning what remains after the tumult of life's storms have passed.

The final stanza, "Where we are who knows / of kings who sup / while day fails?" introduces the image of kings dining as darkness falls, a scene that contrasts the grandeur of power with the inevitable decline of day into night. This juxtaposition highlights the impermanence of authority and the fleeting nature of human achievements. The rhetorical question, "Who, / swinging his axe / to fell kings, guesses / where we go?" suggests the unpredictability of the future and the potential for change, even as it acknowledges the cyclical nature of power and downfall.

The "Coda" leaves the reader with a sense of the continuous movement of time and the enduring mystery of human existence. It is a reflection on the journey through life, marked by moments of beauty, struggle, and the constant search for understanding. Bunting's use of concise, vivid imagery and open-ended questions invites contemplation and resonates with the broader themes of "Briggflatts," celebrating the complexity and richness of the human experience.

POEM TEXT: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47708/coda-56d2285ab4d58

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