Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lance Henson's "Counting Losses in October" captures the delicate balance between memory, loss, and the cyclical rhythms of nature, employing his signature minimalist style to convey profound emotional depth. Known for his Cheyenne heritage and deep connection to indigenous landscapes and traditions, Henson uses sparse, evocative language to create a meditation on the passage of time, familial legacy, and the interplay between the personal and the natural world.

The poem opens with a striking natural image: "a wind grows out of itself from the north / follows the flight of geese." This personification of the wind growing out of itself suggests an organic, self-sustaining force, much like memory or grief, which can arise spontaneously and unbidden. The north evokes a sense of coldness and desolation, while the migration of geese signals seasonal change, a recurring theme in Henson's work. The geese, often symbolic of transition and movement, are not just birds in flight but metaphors for the inevitable shifts in life and the passage of time.

The next lines ground the poem in personal and ancestral space: "the first i have witnessed this season / over my grandfathers land." The reference to my grandfather's land situates the speaker within a lineage, emphasizing a connection to both family and territory. This land is not merely a physical space but a repository of memories and history. Witnessing the geese over this land for the first time in the season underscores the speaker's awareness of cyclical patterns and their role as both observer and participant in the ongoing narrative of their heritage.

“mid october / i keep the sweat fire coals glowing into dusk / thinking of brother songs” transitions from the external landscape to a more intimate, reflective space. October, a month traditionally associated with harvest and preparation for winter, sets a tone of gathering and contemplation. The sweat fire coals reference likely alludes to the sweat lodge, a sacred purification ritual in many indigenous cultures, symbolizing both physical cleansing and spiritual renewal. By keeping the coals glowing into dusk, the speaker maintains a connection to tradition and ritual, even as the day fades into night. The phrase thinking of brother songs suggests a remembrance of communal bonds, whether literal siblings or broader kinship ties within the tribe. These songs carry echoes of shared experiences, histories, and perhaps those who have been lost.

The personification of the evening in the next line further deepens the sense of watchful reflection: “evening in a dark shawl watches from a grove of elm trees.” The dark shawl casts the evening as a protective, yet somber, presence, enveloping the landscape and the speaker in its quietude. The grove of elm trees serves as both a literal and symbolic boundary between light and darkness, life and death, presence and absence. The trees, standing as silent witnesses, mirror the speaker’s contemplative state.

The poem concludes with a juxtaposition of contrasting emotions: “there is the joy of a small wind rising / and the unforgiving darkness of night.” The joy of a small wind rising reflects a fleeting, delicate happiness found in the natural world’s subtle movements. This wind, perhaps reminiscent of the geese’s flight or the continuation of life’s cycles, offers a brief respite from the weight of reflection. However, this joy is tempered by the unforgiving darkness of night, a metaphor for loss, mortality, and the unknown. The night is unforgiving, suggesting that while nature offers moments of beauty and connection, it also imposes its inevitable hardships and finalities.

Structurally, Henson’s choice of free verse and minimal punctuation creates a flowing, meditative rhythm that mirrors the natural elements he describes. The absence of capitalization and traditional punctuation allows the poem to unfold organically, much like the wind or the passage of geese across the sky. This stylistic approach invites readers to engage with the poem as a continuous experience, emphasizing the interconnectedness of thoughts, memories, and the natural world.

In "Counting Losses in October," Lance Henson weaves together themes of nature, memory, and tradition to explore the complexities of personal and communal identity. The poem’s quiet, reflective tone underscores the delicate balance between joy and sorrow, presence and absence, continuity and change. Through his evocative imagery and restrained language, Henson invites readers to consider their own relationships with the land, their ancestors, and the inevitable cycles of life and loss. The poem stands as a testament to the enduring power of nature to both reflect and shape our inner landscapes, offering moments of solace amid the unforgiving realities of existence.

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