Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Creeley's "Later" is a meditative and expansive poem, reflecting on time, memory, loss, and the human experience of aging. Structured in ten distinct sections, the poem weaves between personal recollections, philosophical reflections, and an often wry acknowledgment of life's inevitable changes. Throughout "Later", Creeley maintains a conversational tone, confronting the passage of time and the way it transforms not just our external world but also our internal perceptions of ourselves and the people we once knew.

The first section of the poem opens with a definitive break from the past: "Shan’t be winding / back in blue / gone time ridiculous, / nor lonely / anymore." The speaker declares a refusal to return to "blue gone time," rejecting the melancholy and loneliness that once defined earlier experiences. The language suggests a firm decision to move beyond nostalgia and the small, "wee thin delights" that characterized that period. The image of "hands / held me, mouths / winked with white / clean teeth" evokes fleeting human connections, but these moments, like the "clothes" that have "fluttered / their last regard," are now firmly in the past. The speaker is no longer emotionally invested in these memories, choosing instead to acknowledge their departure once and for all.

The second section of the poem takes the reader deeper into the speaker’s childhood, with vivid details of a "school bell" calling children back inside and "mother sitting there, / a father dead in heaven." The imagery of "blue hands" and "two doughnuts on a plate" evokes a sense of warmth and domesticity, yet the presence of a "father dead in heaven" introduces a note of loss and grief. Here, Creeley examines how childhood memories intertwine with the inevitable presence of death, capturing both the comfort of the familiar and the sadness of absence. The details of the "steam of drying mittens on the stove" and a "dog barks" are sensory markers of a time now past, gently drawing the reader into the speaker’s interior world, where these memories still hold a faint echo.

In the third section, Creeley expands his reflection to "The small spaces of existence," where even something as simple as the "sudden smell of burning leaves" can mark a place in time. The emphasis on the mundane—on sensory experiences shared by "one and all"—underscores the universal nature of the passing days. The repetition of "these days" reinforces the cyclical nature of time, hinting at how such experiences, though ordinary, take on a larger significance when viewed from the perspective of later life.

The fourth section introduces a more tangible sense of place, as the speaker describes "Opening the boxes packed in the shed," and the space by the "porch" where "glass over" allows for a winter’s view to the west. The attention to the details of a home—sounds of "cars, dogs, neighbors" and the everyday noises of "pan rattle" and "toilet flush"—captures the speaker’s deep connection to the rhythms of life. The idea of things being "never done" hints at the perpetual motion of time and existence, while the mention of "sharp cold dryness of air" and "shadows in the early morning" evokes the poignant passing of the seasons.

The poem takes a humorous and introspective turn in the fifth section, where the speaker reflects on his own body, with the line "Eloquent, my heart, thump bump— / My Funny Valentine." This play on the familiar song title infuses the section with a sense of self-awareness, as if the speaker is acknowledging the vulnerability of the body and the heart in the face of time, yet with a touch of lightheartedness.

In the sixth section, the poem addresses the loss of a beloved dog, which serves as a symbol for the passage of time and the irreplaceable nature of certain relationships. The speaker imagines seeing the dog again—"Hey, Spot! It’s me!"—but quickly confronts the reality that "no dog’s coming home again." The dog’s body has returned to the earth—"its skin’s moldered through rain, dirt, to dust"—and with it, the years that have passed. The speaker’s own body has also changed—"your hair, greyed"—and the voice that once called the dog has transformed. This section poignantly explores how both humans and animals succumb to time’s passage, and how memory holds onto those lost connections even as life moves forward.

In section seven, the speaker dismisses "sadness" as a "boring preoccupation," shifting focus to the transient nature of life: "rain’s wet, clouds pass." There is a sense of resignation here, as if the speaker acknowledges that dwelling on sadness is ultimately futile—life, like the weather, continues to change, regardless of how we feel about it.

The eighth section offers a broader meditation on time and human progress, with the speaker reflecting on how "there’s no 'past' to be inspired by 'futures.'" The past, represented by places like West Acton and its discontinued train service, no longer holds sway over the present. The speaker’s acknowledgment that "these days" blur into the past—"call it 'last Tuesday,' 1887"—emphasizes the collapsing of time, where memories of long ago seem just as recent as yesterday. The final, stark observation that "my mother was born, and now, sad to say, she’s dead" exemplifies Creeley’s direct and unadorned approach to mortality, as he offers a blunt reminder of life’s ultimate conclusion.

In the ninth section, the speaker reflects on the attic space, surrounded by "pipes, scarred walls, the battered window adjacent," and memories of another attic in a "West Acton farmhouse." This section captures the blend of nostalgia and detachment that pervades the poem, as the speaker situates himself in a physical and emotional space where he contemplates the persistence of objects and places—"the old horse chestnut" and "spiked pods"—even as time moves forward. The poem closes this section with a meditation on endurance: "man-made endurance I’m after," suggesting a desire to persist despite the wear and tear of life.

Finally, the tenth section provides a testament to the speaker’s "willingness to live," acknowledging the presence of both "the future" and "the past" but grounding the speaker in the present moment, where "the wonder of life is that it is at all." This closing reflection captures Creeley’s reverence for the simple, physical experience of life and his acceptance of its impermanence. The poem concludes with a gentle affirmation of life’s "sticky sentimental warm enclosure" and the acknowledgment that "it lets go of itself, finds a home on earth." This final acceptance of life’s fleeting yet profound nature offers a sense of resolution and peace.

In conclusion, Robert Creeley’s "Later" is a wide-ranging meditation on time, memory, loss, and the enduring beauty of life. Through fragmented, episodic sections, the poem navigates personal memories, philosophical insights, and reflections on the passage of time. At its heart, "Later" is an exploration of what it means to live, to remember, and to continue forward in a world shaped by both the weight of the past and the ever-present potential for renewal.

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