Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Maxine Kumin’s "Cross-Country Skiing" juxtaposes the serene beauty of nature with the harsh realities of human suffering, creating a layered meditation on privilege, disconnection, and moral responsibility. Through her signature combination of evocative imagery and subtle ethical inquiry, Kumin bridges the divide between personal tranquility and global unrest, compelling readers to confront their place in an interconnected yet fractured world.

The poem opens with a vivid depiction of nature as a haven. The speaker is drawn under the “outstretched wings of hemlocks,” whose snow-laden branches evoke both shelter and allure. The hemlocks offer “the promise of haven,” suggesting safety and respite. Kumin’s use of the word “lured” hints at the seductive power of nature, its ability to draw one into a state of reflective stillness. This serene imagery, however, is soon complicated by the introduction of the speaker’s thoughts, which shift from the immediate beauty of her surroundings to the broader, more troubling realities of the world.

The transition to the “grainy videos of refugees” is stark and jarring, deliberately so. Kumin introduces the imagery of snow in a different context, one where it does not evoke beauty but rather obscures and diminishes the suffering of displaced people. The snow, described as “thick as flaking plaster,” creates a “cunning scrim,” a kind of veil that both reveals and conceals. The refugees, burdened with “bundles of bedding and children,” move through this landscape in a way that is “nicely muted.” This description underscores the distancing effect of mediated images, where the stark realities of misery and terror are softened and made palatable for viewers in safer, more privileged circumstances.

Kumin’s use of the word “generic” to describe the portrayal of suffering is particularly pointed. It critiques how such images are often stripped of individuality and context, becoming symbols rather than specific stories. This flattening of experience allows those in positions of comfort—like the speaker, enjoying the quiet of the hemlock grove—to view suffering at a remove, as an abstract concept rather than an urgent reality. The contrast between the speaker’s serene environment and the refugees’ plight emphasizes the ethical tension at the heart of the poem.

The speaker’s moment under the hemlock branches becomes a site of reflection and self-awareness. The act of tilting her face to the snow that sifts through the branches is mirrored by her mental gaze toward the plight of others. The poem suggests that even in moments of personal solace, the realities of the world intrude, demanding acknowledgment. The hemlocks, which initially appear as symbols of natural beauty and refuge, take on a more ambiguous role. Their shelter becomes a metaphor for the privileged cocoon in which the speaker—and, by extension, the reader—might exist, shielded from the harsher truths of life elsewhere.

The poem’s final lines underscore this moral dissonance. The phrase “all-American quiet” encapsulates the idyllic and insulated world the speaker inhabits, a world that stands in stark contrast to the chaos and suffering depicted in the videos of refugees. By stepping out of her skis and sitting beneath the hemlock wings, the speaker occupies a space of physical and emotional safety that is not universally shared. The juxtaposition of her peaceful retreat with the refugees’ plight raises questions about the responsibilities of those who enjoy such peace. What does it mean to inhabit a space of privilege while being aware of others’ suffering? How should one reconcile the pleasures of the natural world with the injustices of human existence?

Kumin’s use of cross-country skiing as the poem’s framework is particularly apt. The act of skiing through a snow-covered landscape becomes a metaphor for movement through life, navigating both beauty and hardship. The skier, like the speaker, is in motion, yet her journey is one of choice and leisure, unlike the forced migration of the refugees. This contrast underscores the disparity between the speaker’s experience and that of the people she observes, highlighting the complex dynamics of empathy, privilege, and moral accountability.

"Cross-Country Skiing" is a powerful exploration of the ethical tensions inherent in moments of personal peace and beauty. Kumin’s masterful use of imagery and her willingness to confront uncomfortable truths make the poem a profound meditation on the coexistence of privilege and suffering. By placing the speaker’s tranquil experience in direct contrast with the refugees’ plight, Kumin invites readers to reflect on their own positions in a world marked by both natural splendor and human strife. The poem serves as a reminder that even in the quietest moments, the weight of global realities cannot—and should not—be entirely escaped.

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