Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"We Walk the Young Earth" by William Everson paints a vivid landscape of Conejo, California, a place teeming with the raw, untamed spirit of nature and the burgeoning presence of human life. Through a series of richly drawn images and reflections, Everson explores themes of connection to the land, the passage of time, and the deep, intrinsic ties between the earth and those who inhabit it.

The poem opens with a dynamic portrayal of sunset, a daily spectacle that is both violent and beautiful, signaling the transition from day to night. The "loud sun" that "Flames and goes down" evokes a sense of the sublime, the awe-inspiring power of nature that commands attention. This natural cycle brings a sense of continuity amidst change, a theme that resonates throughout the poem.

Everson delves into the experience of childhood, capturing the poignant longing and vast imagination of young boys listening for the distant sound of trains in the night. This sound, carrying with it the promise of distant places and adventures, stirs a deep emotional response, a "feeling of weeping" that is both melancholy and yearning. This moment highlights the human capacity to be moved by the echoes of the wider world, even from the seclusion of one's bed.

As the poem unfolds, the focus shifts to the landscape itself, "new-broken places" that bear the marks of human endeavor—fields tilled and sown, awaiting the cycle of growth. This is a land without a "human past," a blank canvas on which the present generation will leave its mark. Yet, the "desolate wilderness of the earth" bleeds into the air, a reminder of the wild, untamed essence that underlies even the most cultivated landscapes.

Everson reflects on the challenge of making a home in such a place, where "the desolate wilderness of the earth bleeds from the furrow." The imposition of human order—orchards, houses—gradually obscures the rawness of the land, yet there remains an underlying wildness, a "smell" of the earth that persists despite domestication.

The poem contemplates the sense of belonging that comes from living and working on the land, from "the shine of the rising sun" to "the taste of the air." This connection to place is primal and intuitive, known through the senses and affirmed by the soul. It is in this landscape that the speaker and their companions find their country, a land that is both new and ancient, carrying the memory of "the grass, and dung of the deer, the camps of the moving tribes."

"We Walk the Young Earth" closes with an evocation of the deep, elemental bond between humans and the earth. The land whispers to those who walk upon it, offering "the inscrutable mood" that arises from this intimate relationship. The poem leaves readers with a sense of the continuity of life, the cycles of nature, and the profound connections that bind us to the places we inhabit.

Everson's poem is a powerful meditation on the theme of belonging and the profound impact of the natural world on the human spirit. Through its vivid imagery and contemplative tone, "We Walk the Young Earth" invites readers to reflect on their own relationships with the land and the timeless cycles that govern our existence.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Residual_Years/JeBX8LZrdr8C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22They+came+out+of+the+sun+undetected%22by+WILLIAM+EVERSON&pg=PA120&printsec=frontcover

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