Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Another Version" by George Palmer Garrett Jr. is a somber and evocative poem that contemplates mortality and the inevitable journey towards death. The poem employs the metaphor of a boatman, reminiscent of Charon from Greek mythology, who ferries souls across the River Styx to the afterlife. This figure is described as a "boatswain, oarsman, gloomy gondolier," cloaked in darkness, a harbinger of the final voyage into "everlasting dark."

The speaker addresses the reader directly, offering a cautionary and almost paternal guidance on how to face this ultimate transition. The admonition "Watch where you put your feet, my child," suggests a protective concern, while also acknowledging the inevitability of this journey for every individual. The advice to return the boatman's gaze "face to face, eye to eye," and to stand "up straight and tall as you can," speaks to the dignity with which one should meet one's end—courageously and with integrity, characteristics of "the man you will never live to be." This line also introduces a poignant note of unfulfilled potential and the inherent tragedy of death.

The poem subtly shifts the imagery of the crossing, emphasizing the isolation and singular nature of death with "this river without a hint of light except for the coin in your hand." The coin alludes to the ancient custom of placing coins over the eyes of the dead or in their mouths as payment for Charon, further grounding the poem in mythological imagery while highlighting the solitude of the dying process—everyone must pay their own way, and the only certainty is the departure itself.

The concluding advice, to meet any attempt at conversation from the boatman with silence, underscores the ineffable mystery of death. There's a suggestion that in the face of such profound mystery, words are inadequate or perhaps irrelevant. The smile, however, suggests a peaceful acceptance, a nonverbal acknowledgment of the journey's necessity.

"Another Version" thus serves as a meditation on mortality, urging a stoic acceptance of death's inevitability. It's a call to face the end with dignity, to meet the unknown not with fear but with a composed silence that accepts the natural cycle of life and death. Through the use of mythological references and direct address, Garrett crafts a poem that is both a warning and a guide, a reflection on how to confront the universal fate that awaits us all.

POEM TEXT: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=41511

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