Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Lastness: 4" by Galway Kinnell is a meditation on the finality and perpetuity of endings. The poem explores themes of completion, the cyclical nature of existence, and the interplay between presence and absence. Through rich, evocative imagery and philosophical reflection, Kinnell captures the essence of lastness as both a culmination and a return to beginnings.

The poem opens with a declaration: "This is the tenth poem / and it is the last." The specificity of the number "ten" grounds the poem in a sense of completeness, suggesting a series or a journey that has reached its conclusion. The mention of "one / and zero" walking off together symbolizes unity and finality—one representing singularity and existence, zero embodying emptiness and non-existence. Together, they "walk off the end of these pages," a metaphor for the end of a narrative, life, or experience. This image conveys a poignant sense of companionship between existence and void, as if they are intrinsically linked.

Kinnell introduces the idea that "Lastness / is brightness." This paradoxical statement suggests that there is a clarity or illumination that comes with endings. The brightness is "gathered up of all that went before," implying that the culmination of experiences, memories, and moments coalesce into a final, enduring light. This brightness "lasts," indicating that the essence of what has been persists even after the end.

As the poem progresses, Kinnell contemplates the aftermath of endings: "And when it does end / there is nothing, nothing / left." This stark assertion emphasizes the finality of lastness, where all that remains is a void. The imagery that follows—the "rust of old cars," the "hole torn open in the body of the Archer," and the "river-mist smelling of the weariness of stones"—evokes a sense of decay and weariness. These images convey a world that has been worn down by time, where even the elements themselves seem fatigued.

The poem then shifts to a vision of the dead: "the dead lie, / empty, filled, at the beginning." This juxtaposition of emptiness and fullness suggests a return to a primordial state, where life and death converge. The dead are both devoid of life and replete with the essence of all that has transpired. This image reinforces the cyclical nature of existence, where endings give way to new beginnings.

In the closing lines, Kinnell introduces the idea of the "first / voice" craving again out of the mouths of the dead. This suggests a primal desire or need that transcends life and death, a voice that seeks expression even from the void. It evokes a sense of continuity, where the end is not an absolute cessation but a return to an originary state of being.

"Lastness: 4" is a profound reflection on the nature of endings and the enduring presence of what has passed. Kinnell's exploration of lastness as brightness, his use of evocative imagery, and his contemplation of the cyclical nature of existence offer a deeply philosophical meditation on life, death, and the perpetual return to beginnings. The poem resonates with a sense of both closure and continuity, capturing the essence of finality as both an end and a new beginning.

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