Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"To John Berryman: 2" by Rosanne Coggeshall continues the exploration of Berryman's poetic legacy, focusing on the somber themes present in his work, particularly in "The Dream Songs." The poem immediately acknowledges the sadness inherent in Berryman's songs, situating the reader in a landscape of emotional depth and complexity.

The phrase "around the wrinkle / Of a chord that grows a muscle & is strong" suggests resilience born from suffering, a common thread in Berryman's poetry. The physicality of this imagery, with "chords of wrists" and blood transforming into breath, evokes the visceral nature of human experience, blending the tangible with the metaphysical.

Coggeshall's reference to "bones what float" juxtaposed with Berryman's bones hitting ice introduces a stark contrast between transcendence and the harsh reality of death. Berryman's own tragic end, a suicide by jumping from a bridge into the icy Mississippi River, is alluded to here, questioning the moment of impact and what it signifies about the nature of despair and the limits of endurance.

The lines "The sick grow lame in aim I think: / Sick. But only silver hacksaws tell" imply a struggle with mental illness, a theme prevalent in Berryman's life and work. The metaphor of a "silver hacksaw" could symbolize the cutting clarity of depression, which separates the afflicted from the rest of the world, leaving them to navigate their suffering in isolation.

"I wall easily. Glass grows emptily / In twos in threes" might reflect on the fragility of the human psyche and the way in which individuals compartmentalize or multiply their identities to cope with internal turmoil, a technique Berryman mastered in his alter ego, Henry.

The poem concludes on a note of potential redemption or relief, "But Henry / There are trees in the window / There are trees." This image offers a connection to the natural world, a reminder of life's persistence and beauty despite personal anguish. It suggests a momentary lifting of despair, allowing for a glimpse of hope or continuity beyond the pain.

In "To John Berryman: 2," Coggeshall captures the essence of Berryman's work—the interplay between despair and resilience, the physical and the metaphysical, and the search for meaning in the face of suffering. The poem is both a homage and a reflection on the enduring impact of Berryman's poetry, emphasizing its ability to speak to the complexities of the human condition.

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