Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Secular City: Melt Down the Guns" by William Everson is a potent call to action, a plea for transformation from a culture of violence to one of peace, inspired by the remarkable act of transforming firearms into a sculpture of Saint Francis. This poem, dedicated to Beniamino Bufano and his sculpture "Saint Francis of the Guns," emerges from a moment in history when the citizens of San Francisco, responding to their Mayor's appeal, surrendered their firearms to be cast into a work of art. Everson's work is not just an ode to this act but a profound commentary on the human condition, violence, and the possibility of redemption and change through the medium of art.

Everson begins with a direct command: "Melt down the guns." This imperative sets the tone for the entire poem, positioning the destruction of firearms as not just a physical act but a symbol of rejecting violence. The guns, described as creators of "carrion" and "corpses," represent the ultimate failure of humanity to live in harmony. The poet's repudiation of the justifications historically given for bearing arms, including the sanctification of guns as holier than indigenous weapons like the tomahawk, challenges the foundational myths of American society.

The poem delves into the American psyche, deeply scarred by the assassinations of pivotal figures by lone gunmen—Lee Harvey Oswald, Sirhan Sirhan, and James Earl Ray. These names stand as stark reminders of the consequences of a culture enamored with guns and violence. Everson portrays the gunslinger as a timeless figure, a specter haunting the American dream, encapsulating the nation's obsession with the gun as both protector and destroyer.

This specter is not an external threat but a reflection of the self. Everson confronts the reader with the uncomfortable truth that the potential for violence resides within us all, suggesting that under certain circumstances, anyone might pull the trigger. This internalization of violence speaks to the collective responsibility for the culture of violence that pervades society. The poet's use of vivid, often stark imagery—of the gunslinger, the "smoking thirty-eight," and the "bed, the murdered love"—serves to underscore the immediacy and intimacy of this threat.

Yet, amidst this bleak outlook, Everson finds hope in the act of melting down the guns to create something transcendent. The sculpture of Saint Francis, made from the metal of surrendered firearms, symbolizes the potential for humanity to repurpose instruments of death into symbols of peace and spiritual renewal. This act of transmutation is not just physical but metaphorical, suggesting that the energy and resources invested in instruments of violence can be redirected toward creation rather than destruction.

Everson questions whether such transformation is possible—can the "rank metal" of guns truly be denatured of its taint? The poet answers with cautious optimism, invoking the "Spirit" and the image of "Christ, uncrucified," as symbols of hope and rebirth. The melting down of guns and their conversion into a work of art represents a form of redemption, a turning away from the path of violence toward one of creative expression and peace.

"Secular City: Melt Down the Guns" is thus both a lament for the past and a hopeful vision for the future. Through the act of remembering those lost to gun violence and envisioning a world where such instruments of death are repurposed for peace, Everson captures the complex interplay between despair and hope. The poem stands as a powerful testament to the human capacity for change and the transformative power of art in challenging and reshaping the narratives of violence that permeate society.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Integral_Years/OYXUpnBhUgsC?q=%22terrible+torch%22&gbpv=1&bsq=MELT%20DOWN#f=false

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