Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Exclusivity," Christopher Howell captures the intense and fleeting beauty of nature in early autumn, linking it to themes of sensuality, longing, and the separation between earthly life and the distant, silent presence of the moon. Through vivid imagery and an underlying sense of melancholy, Howell contemplates the energetic vibrancy of insects in September and the silent, observing role of the moon, which, though ever-present, remains forever out of reach. The poem unfolds as a meditation on intimacy and the impermanence of moments that are deeply felt yet remain transient, inevitably bound by the passage of time.

The opening line, "Orchestral September," immediately sets a grand and musical tone, likening the activity of insects to a symphony. Howell’s description of the insects as a "prime insect quadrillion" evokes a sense of both vastness and unity, suggesting that these small creatures collectively participate in something larger than themselves, a harmonious and sensual "movement" as they transition from one stage of life to the next. This natural symphony, driven by the "sexual sweetness of what they are saying," is filled with intensity and passion, capturing a final burst of life before the impending chill of autumn. Howell’s depiction of the insects as “mad with the sexual sweetness” portrays them as unrestrained and unselfconscious, reveling in the essence of their existence, embodying a pure, almost primal joy.

The imagery of insects "high in darkened pin oaks or along the dipping stems of shrubberies" creates a layered soundscape, with their chirping and singing rising through the night air, forming a kind of ecstasy that seems to penetrate the very atmosphere. Howell personifies the moon as an indifferent queen, distant and detached, observing this display of vitality from afar. The moon, "so much the queen of purest darkness," is portrayed as a figure of beauty and coldness, a silent witness to the earthly revelry below, yet fundamentally separate from it. Howell’s moon, though lovely and ever-present, cannot fully engage with the music, as it lies “out beyond where sound can go.” This image highlights the sense of separation between the vibrancy of life on earth and the celestial realm, with the moon embodying a distant, otherworldly beauty that cannot partake in the immediate, sensory pleasures of earthly life.

Howell’s acknowledgment that "the moon has no crickets, no katydids" emphasizes the barrenness of the lunar world, contrasting it with the lively abundance of September nights on Earth. This absence renders the moon’s brilliance tinged with loneliness, a sadness that is captured in the line, "she seems to burn a little brighter." The moon’s brightness is described as a response to her isolation, as if her glow were a reflection of the longing she feels for something she cannot experience. This imagery encapsulates a universal longing, suggesting that even celestial bodies may feel a kind of wistfulness or desire. Howell’s depiction of the moon as a silent, saddened observer underscores the theme of exclusivity, suggesting that while she may witness the life and energy below, she is forever barred from fully participating in it.

The poem shifts to a personal memory, drawing a parallel between the natural world and an intimate human experience. Howell recalls a moment of touching and “rubbing…slowly with this brightness, the brightness of time,” connecting the ephemeral energy of September’s insects to the transient intensity of human connection. The "brightness of time" suggests that this moment, like the insects’ song, is fleeting, illuminated only briefly before it fades. Howell’s choice to describe this intimacy with “brightness” evokes a warmth and tenderness that contrasts with the moon’s cold, distant glow. In the context of the poem, this memory becomes a shared moment of closeness, existing within the confines of time and space, unlike the moon’s unchanging presence.

The line, “You sang, I remember, just as the night…wished you to,” links the lover’s voice to the natural rhythm of the night, suggesting a harmonious connection between human expression and the world around them. Howell draws a parallel between the lover’s song and the silent song of the moon, who “does sing, though we can’t hear her.” This line implies that there is a form of communication or expression that exists beyond human perception, that feelings and experiences can resonate in ways that defy ordinary understanding. Howell’s assertion that “we can only feel” highlights the poem’s emphasis on sensory experience as a way to bridge the gap between what we understand and what remains elusive.

In "Exclusivity," Howell explores the beauty and poignancy of ephemeral experiences, using the insects' seasonal chorus and the distant, untouchable moon as metaphors for the transitory nature of life and love. Through the imagery of night, music, and the quiet luminosity of the moon, Howell captures a moment of shared human intimacy, framed against the vast and indifferent cosmos. The poem suggests that, while we may not fully understand the mysteries of life and connection, we are nonetheless part of a larger, resonant world that speaks to us through feeling. The moon’s silent song, the insects’ jubilant cries, and the lover’s voice are all expressions of a world that is both deeply connected and profoundly isolated, reminding us of the beauty and sadness inherent in moments that we can feel but never fully possess.

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