Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Triumph of Love: 52" by Geoffrey Hill, the poet continues his exploration of the concept of a "moral landscape," this time employing a more intimate and localized metaphor. Hill's language here conjures an image of a quaint yet slightly ominous countryside scene to delve into the complexities and contradictions inherent in moral perception.

Hill starts by admitting that his conception of a moral landscape can sometimes be exasperating and perplexing. The phrase "to my exasperated ear emits" suggests that his attempts to understand and interpret moral phenomena often meet with frustration. The moral landscape, previously likened to geological strata in "Triumph of Love: 51," now takes on a more mechanical and less natural form, described as emitting "archaic burrings."

The simile comparing the moral landscape to "a small, high-fenced electricity sub-station of uncertain age in a field corner" introduces a sense of antiquity and obsolescence. This sub-station, a human-made structure designed to control and distribute energy, stands in contrast to the natural geological imagery previously used. It symbolizes something outdated and possibly neglected, emitting sounds that are out of place and suggestive of past eras. The "archaic burrings" evoke an old, struggling mechanism, barely holding together in the face of modernity.

Hill situates this sub-station in a "field corner where the flies gather and old horses shake their sides." This setting adds layers of decay and stagnation to the metaphor. Flies, typically associated with decay and rot, suggest a sense of decline and neglect. The "old horses," shaking their sides to ward off these flies, symbolize endurance and the passage of time. The horses, creatures of labor and nobility now past their prime, mirror the sub-station's aged and weary state.

This scene paints a picture of a moral landscape that, while still functioning, is antiquated and besieged by the inevitable forces of decay and obsolescence. The "small, high-fenced" nature of the sub-station also implies confinement and limitation, suggesting that Hill's moral landscape is constrained and isolated, much like the outdated technology it represents.

Through this metaphor, Hill comments on the persistence of old moral frameworks and the difficulty of reconciling them with contemporary realities. The image of an old sub-station in a forgotten field corner speaks to the endurance of certain moral codes and values, even as they become less relevant or harder to maintain in a changing world. The buzzing and burrings indicate ongoing activity, a continuous yet increasingly fraught effort to keep these values alive.

In conclusion, "Triumph of Love: 52" uses the metaphor of an old electricity sub-station to depict the challenges of sustaining and interpreting moral values in a modern context. Hill's choice of imagery highlights the tension between the enduring yet antiquated aspects of morality and the relentless forces of decay and obsolescence. This scene, with its subtle melancholic tone, underscores the poet's struggle to find clarity and relevance within an outdated moral landscape, suggesting that our understanding of morality may need to evolve to remain meaningful in the present day.

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