Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Hogan’s "Hackberry Trees" is a meditation on the intimate relationship between humans and the natural world, emphasizing themes of transformation, memory, and interconnectedness. As a Chickasaw poet deeply rooted in environmental and Indigenous perspectives, Hogan’s work often reflects a profound awareness of the Earth’s cycles and the subtle, often unnoticed, interactions between people and their surroundings. In this poem, the imagery of the hackberry trees, dry pond, and insect life becomes a lens through which Hogan explores the fragile boundaries between human existence and the natural world, suggesting that, at our core, we are not separate from nature but an integral part of its ongoing life and decay.

The poem opens with a simple, grounding statement: "We walk small / over the dry pond, / old bowl of earth." This introduction immediately situates the reader in a landscape marked by absence and desiccation. The dry pond—once a vessel of life—is now reduced to an old bowl of earth, a symbol of emptiness and loss. The phrase we walk small suggests both a physical and metaphorical humility, as the speakers tread lightly over the remnants of a once-thriving ecosystem. This humility establishes a tone of reverence and quiet observation that permeates the poem.

Hogan deepens this sense of loss with the vivid image of the pond’s former inhabitants: "We walk over the fine bones of fish / buried in powdered silt / beside hooks." The fine bones of fish evoke a delicate fragility, underscoring the transience of life. The powdered silt suggests the slow, inevitable erosion of time, while the mention of hooks introduces a subtle reminder of human intervention in the natural cycle. The juxtaposition of natural decay and human artifacts reflects a tension between nature’s rhythms and humanity’s often disruptive presence.

The absence of life is further emphasized with the line: "This summer the turtle is gone, / pupil in the eye we called water / that watched us grow dry." The turtle, a symbol of longevity and wisdom in many Indigenous cultures, represents a connection to the Earth and its ancient cycles. Its absence signals a deeper loss, not just of a creature, but of a relationship with the natural world. The metaphor of the turtle as a pupil in the eye we called water is particularly striking, suggesting that the pond itself was a living, observing entity. The idea that this eye watched us grow dry implies a reciprocal relationship between humans and nature—both have experienced desiccation, both have been diminished.

Despite the desolation, the hackberry trees stand as resilient remnants of the pond’s former vitality: "The trees are all that’s left of water." This line suggests that the trees, sustained by the pond in the past, now carry its memory within them. Trees, often seen as symbols of endurance and continuity, embody the persistence of life even in the face of environmental degradation. Beneath them, life continues in subtle forms: "Beneath them the crickets / are sawing their legs, / dust for rosin." The crickets’ song, likened to sawing, evokes both the persistence of life and the sound of something being worn away. The image of dust for rosin—a substance used to create friction on string instruments—adds a musical quality to this natural scene, suggesting that even in decay, there is a kind of beauty and resonance.

Hogan introduces a moment of quiet tension with: "Turn up a stone and they keep silent." This simple act of human interference disrupts the crickets’ song, illustrating the fragile balance between human presence and the natural world. It also highlights the idea that some aspects of nature retreat or go unnoticed when scrutinized too closely, reminding us that observation can alter what is being observed.

The poem then shifts to a more introspective and symbolic reflection: "On the dark trunks of trees / shells of bronze insects / are open at the back." These bronze insects—likely cicadas—leave behind their empty exoskeletons, symbols of transformation and the passage of time. The open shells suggest both departure and the lingering imprint of past life. This image of abandoned forms resonates with the poem’s broader themes of absence, memory, and change.

Hogan draws a direct parallel between the trees and the human speakers: "We are like the trees, / they have been in this place so long / their yellow hearts could open." Here, the trees become a metaphor for endurance and emotional vulnerability. The yellow hearts could refer to the inner wood of the trees, often lighter in color, suggesting both the literal and metaphorical core. The idea that their hearts could open implies a readiness for connection or exposure, paralleling the human desire to connect with the natural world despite—or perhaps because of—its fragility.

The poem concludes with a powerful statement of interconnectedness: "The insects walk over our warm skin. / They think we are the earth." This closing image blurs the boundary between human and nature, suggesting that, to the insects, humans are indistinguishable from the ground they walk on. This perspective challenges anthropocentric views of human superiority and separateness from nature, emphasizing instead a shared existence. The warmth of human skin contrasts with the earlier images of dryness and desiccation, hinting at a persistent life force that connects all beings.

Structurally, "Hackberry Trees" unfolds in a series of vivid, interconnected images that flow seamlessly from one to the next, creating a meditative, almost hypnotic rhythm. Hogan’s use of simple, unadorned language enhances the poem’s contemplative tone, allowing the natural imagery to speak for itself. The lack of punctuation contributes to the poem’s fluidity, mirroring the continuous cycles of life, death, and renewal that it explores.

At its core, "Hackberry Trees" is a reflection on the fragile beauty of the natural world and humanity’s place within it. Through its careful attention to detail and its reverence for the quiet, often overlooked aspects of nature, the poem invites readers to reconsider their relationship with the environment. It suggests that, like the trees and insects, we are part of the Earth’s ongoing story—bound by its cycles, sustained by its life, and ultimately inseparable from its fate. Hogan’s ability to weave together themes of loss, endurance, and interconnectedness makes "Hackberry Trees" a poignant meditation on the deep, enduring connections between humans and the natural world.

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