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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Lava Bed" by William Everson is a vivid exploration of the raw and untamed forces of nature, as symbolized by the harsh landscape of a lava bed. Through striking imagery and a tone of deep respect mixed with awe, Everson portrays the land as an entity that resists human control and remains largely untouched by human presence. The poem begins with a powerful description of the lava bed as "Fisted, bitten by blizzards, / Flattened by wind and chewed by all weather," immediately setting a tone of struggle and endurance. This landscape has been shaped and tested by extreme elements, yet it lies there, a testament to the power of nature's indomitable will. The mention that "Deer fashioned trails there but no man, ever;" underscores the inhospitable nature of the terrain to human habitation or exploration. It's a place where only the most adaptable and resilient wildlife, such as "fugitive cougars" and buzzards finding "some innominate kill," can thrive. These creatures are part of the landscape, living embodiments of its wildness and mystery. Everson's imagery of the sun falling into the lava bed, "And took the whole west down as it died," captures the dramatic and cyclical nature of time in this desolate landscape. The day's end in such a place is not just a sunset but a cosmic event, further emphasizing the lava bed's profound separation from the human world. The poem describes the lava bed as "Dense as the sea," an interesting comparison that highlights its vastness and depth, qualities that make it seem insurmountable and timeless. It is "Entrenched in its years of unyielding rebuff," a line that personifies the landscape as a stoic guardian of its own solitude, resistant to the advances of civilization and human exploitation. Everson's choice of the phrase "We looked in against anger" suggests a confrontation between human observers and the raw force of the landscape. This encounter is one of realization and humility; the lava bed stands as a challenge to "our cunning" and "our power," which have only left superficial marks on its surface. It is a place that can only be traversed by the eyes, a symbol of our limited capacity to fully understand or conquer the natural world. "Lava Bed" is a profound meditation on the relationship between humans and the untamed aspects of nature. Through its stark imagery and contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to reflect on the power of natural landscapes to inspire awe, challenge our assumptions of dominion, and remind us of the enduring strength and mystery of the earth. Everson's work captures the essence of the wild, portraying it as both a physical space and a symbol of our own limitations and the deep, often unacknowledged, connection we have with the natural world.
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