Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Coptic Poem" by Lawrence Durrell is a vivid and imaginative portrayal of a mysterious Coptic delegation traveling to Ethiopia, only to vanish in a strange and almost fantastical manner. The poem blends historical, religious, and folkloric elements, creating a surreal narrative that juxtaposes the sacred with the mundane, and the spiritual with the corporeal.

The poem opens with a reference to a Coptic deputation headed for Ethiopia, an ancient Christian region closely associated with the Coptic Church. This delegation "disappeared up one morning like the ghost in Aubrey," a reference likely to John Aubrey, the 17th-century English antiquarian known for his ghost stories and anecdotes. The comparison to Aubrey's ghost, which leaves behind "a Sweet Odour and a Melodious Twang," immediately sets a tone of mystery and otherworldliness. The use of the word "twang" evokes a sound that is both pleasant and strange, perhaps a lingering echo of the group's departure.

The poem then shifts to a first-person perspective, with the speaker being an arrow, specifically "the aboriginal arrow," who claims to have witnessed the departure of the Coptic group. This arrow, a symbol of both ancient weaponry and direction, suggests a primal, almost mythic presence, emphasizing the timelessness and deep cultural roots of the Coptic tradition. The arrow describes the Coptic delegation as "Mellifluous" and "Fuzzy-wig, kink-haired," adorned with "cocoa-butter shining" on their skin. These descriptions blend physical characteristics with a sense of cultural richness, highlighting the delegation's unique identity as they "walk the desert ways howling and shining."

The Copts are depicted with "stoles on poles, sackbuts and silver salvers," carrying religious and ceremonial objects that further underscore their spiritual purpose. The imagery of their colorful attire—"red blue and yellow"—and the presence of "Saints on parchment" suggests a vibrant, devout procession deeply connected to their faith and traditions.

However, despite this sacred and organized appearance, the delegation's disappearance is sudden and enigmatic, as they "disappeared up like the ghost in Aubrey." This vanishing act leaves behind only the remnants of everyday life: "a smell of cooking and singing, / Rancid goat-butter and the piss of cats." The contrast between the spiritual grandeur of the Coptic group and the earthy, pungent smells they leave behind adds a layer of irony and realism to the poem. The sacred and the profane coexist in this final image, where the divine aura dissipates into the harsh, sensory reality of the desert.

Durrell's "Coptic Poem" presents a rich tapestry of cultural and religious imagery, creating a narrative that is both mystical and grounded. The poem reflects on the transience of spiritual experience, the suddenness with which the divine can vanish, leaving behind only traces of the mundane. Through its blend of vivid descriptions and surreal elements, the poem invites readers to contemplate the intersection of the sacred and the ordinary, and the mysterious ways in which the spiritual can manifest and disappear in the world.

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