Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Durrell's poem "Eight Aspects of Melissa: The Encounter" is a contemplative and bittersweet reflection on a meeting between two individuals, possibly lovers, who find themselves at the intersection of memory, loss, and the inexorable passage of time. The poem is rich with imagery and emotion, capturing the complex and often contradictory feelings that arise when two people who share a past come together once more. Durrell's use of language creates a poignant atmosphere, where the weight of unspoken emotions and the inevitability of change loom over the encounter.

The poem opens with the idea that this meeting, although not the first ("the last yet second meeting"), has a sense of finality, as if it marks the end of something significant. The phrase "Almost the autumn was postponed for us" suggests a brief reprieve from the inevitable decline that autumn symbolizes—both in nature and in relationships. Autumn, the season when things begin to wither and die, is here delayed, creating a momentary suspension in time where the "fermenting lovers" can lie "among the gathered bunches quietly." This image evokes the idea of lovers who have reached a certain ripeness or maturity, now resting among the fruits of their past experiences, their passion having mellowed into a quieter, more contemplative state.

The formality and lack of curiosity that characterize this meeting are highlighted by the "chime of glasses" and the presence of figures like "the explorer, / The soldier and the secret agent." These archetypal figures, each representing different aspects of life and experience, suggest that the meeting is more an exchange of roles or performances than a genuine connection. The "smile inviting like a target" implies a certain vulnerability or openness, yet it is also a calculated gesture, perhaps masking deeper, more complex emotions.

The reference to "six of a summer evening" situates the encounter in a specific time, one that is late in the day and late in the season—symbolic of a relationship or phase of life that is nearing its end. The "painful rehearsal of the smile" and the words "I am going into a decline" underscore the sense of impending loss or disappointment, as the speaker acknowledges the inevitability of decline that summer's promise ultimately gives way to in winter. The comparison of the face "turned as sadly as a hare's" evokes a sense of fragility and resignation, with the hare's features reflecting a kind of defenseless sorrow.

The poem then shifts to a reflection on the nature of denial and the gestures that people make to cope with the harsh realities of life. The line "Some of them die, you know, or go away" speaks to the transient nature of relationships and the inevitability of separation, whether through death or other forms of departure. The idea that "Our denials are only gestures" suggests that these attempts to hold on to something, to resist the passage of time or the loss of connection, are ultimately futile. The acknowledgment that "can we help it?" reveals a resignation to this fact, as if the speaker is coming to terms with the limitations of human agency in the face of time and change.

The poem's focus then shifts to the memory of a past moment, where a "cool muslin dress shaken with flowers" becomes a symbol of the encounter's emotional tone. The speaker reflects that "it was not the thought that was unworthy / Knowing all you knew, it was the feeling," indicating that the true significance of the moment lies not in the intellectual or rational understanding of the situation, but in the deep, underlying emotions that it stirs. This distinction between thought and feeling underscores the complexity of human experience, where emotions often defy logic and reason.

In the final stanza, the speaker recalls a specific image from the encounter, where, in a moment of idle distraction, they "saw / As swimmers see their past, in the lamplight." This simile suggests a sense of detachment, as if the past is something viewed from a distance, through a lens of nostalgia or regret. The figure of Melissa is "forever in the same place," sorting letters "on a green table from many foreign cities." This image captures a sense of stasis, of being caught in a moment that is both particular and yet representative of something larger—a life lived in correspondence, in connection with distant places and people, yet somehow marked by sadness and solitude.

The repetition of the "long hare's features, the remarkable sad face" reinforces the earlier imagery, bringing the poem full circle to its themes of sorrow, loss, and the inevitable passage of time. This final image leaves the reader with a lingering sense of melancholy, as the encounter, while rich with meaning and memory, ultimately underscores the distance that time and experience have placed between the two individuals.

In "Eight Aspects of Melissa: The Encounter," Durrell masterfully captures the fleeting nature of human connection, the weight of memory, and the quiet sorrow that accompanies the realization that some things, once lost, cannot be reclaimed. The poem is a poignant meditation on the intersections of time, emotion, and identity, and it speaks to the universal experience of coming to terms with the impermanence of life and love.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...