Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Tendril in the Mesh: 4" by William Everson continues the exploration of profound, elemental connections between individuals and the cycles of nature and myth. In this segment, Everson shifts focus toward resolution and reflection, meditating on the aftermath of intense passion and the enduring marks of love and desire. Drawing heavily on the myth of Persephone and her cyclic journey between the realms of Hades and the earth, the poem explores themes of separation, return, and the transformative power of love and experience.

The poem opens with a call for peace to the "Daughter of earth and child of the wave," suggesting a unification of elemental forces within the beloved. This figure has experienced the fullness of physical and spiritual fulfillment, leaving behind "creeds of defiance" for a state of appeasement and repose. The "murmur of memory" and the "tug of repose" hint at a lingering connection to past encounters, even as the heart moves toward a new dawn, symbolizing hope and renewal.

Everson invokes the names Kore and Persephone, tying the beloved to the mythological figure who embodies the cycle of death and rebirth, darkness and light. The mention of the "pomegranate seed in your groin" references the myth where Persephone's consumption of the fruit binds her to the underworld, yet also symbolizes the seed of new beginnings, of potential growth from the depths of darkness.

The speaker reflects on the physical marks left by their encounter, likening them to the scars of a gaff on a fish, suggesting both the pain and the permanence of their connection. These marks are not just physical but symbolic of the deep, indelible impact they have had on each other's lives.

The poem then addresses the beloved as "O daughter of God," acknowledging her divine origin and the covetous desire she inspires in "the sons of man." The speaker reminds her of the "scarab of sovereign possession" placed upon her, a mark of his deep, claiming love, yet also a symbol of protection and sacred connection.

Everson concludes with an exhortation to bear "truth for escutcheon" in the service of "holy desire," urging the beloved to wear "the mane of the sun" upon her return to the "roost of night." This imagery suggests a blending of darkness and light, of earthly and divine attributes, as the beloved navigates her journey between the worlds. It's a call for her to carry the lessons and the love from their encounter back into her life, to illuminate the darkness with the brightness of her experience.

"Tendril in the Mesh: 4" is a lyrical and poignant meditation on the cyclical nature of relationships, the interplay between light and darkness, and the enduring impact of love. Through its mythological allusions and evocative imagery, the poem captures the essence of transformation and renewal that follows the tempests of passion, urging a carrying forward of light into the shadows.

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