Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Or Death and December" by George Palmer Garrett Jr. captures a moment of personal suffering set against a backdrop of the harsh, icy winter of Princeton, New Jersey. The poem opens with the ringing of Roman Catholic church bells, which rouse the speaker from sleep, not to a state of grace or spiritual awakening, but to the throes of a "resounding hangover." This introduction immediately sets a tone of discomfort and disillusionment, contrasting the potentially divine connotation of church bells with the gritty reality of the speaker's physical condition.

The speaker's declaration, "Sweet Jesus, my life is hateful to me," is a powerful expression of despair and self-loathing, situating the poem firmly in the realm of personal crisis. The obligation to walk his dog, despite the uninviting conditions outside, forces the speaker into the cold morning.

The imagery of ice on the sidewalks and gutters, along with the aggressive wind that assaults the speaker, conveys the harshness of the winter environment. The wind is personified as a series of large, menacing vehicles ("a deuce-and-a-half, a six-by, a semi"), each metaphor amplifying the force and chill of the wind. This hostile setting mirrors the speaker's internal turmoil, creating a landscape that is as unwelcoming and bleak as his emotional state.

However, the poem takes a turn with the speaker's observation of the leaves, which despite their death, continue to make noise and resist the wind. This detail, though small, introduces a theme of resilience in the face of adversity. The speaker's physical discomfort ("my nose running and my face frozen") further underscores the battle against the elements, both external and internal.

The poem's resolution comes in a moment of unexpected joy, as the speaker's "black and tan puppy" lifts his leg to urinate for the first time. This act, a milestone in the dog's development, brings the speaker a sense of pure joy, a stark contrast to the despair and discomfort that dominate the earlier lines. It's a moment of triumph and natural progression that stands in defiance of the "death and December" that envelop the poem.

"Or Death and December" is thus a meditation on suffering, resilience, and the surprising moments of joy that can break through even the darkest of times. Garrett uses vivid imagery and personal narrative to explore themes of despair, the harshness of the natural world, and the redemptive power of simple, unexpected pleasures.

POEM TEXT:https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53406/or-death-and-december

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