Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Philip Lamantia's "Native Medicine" is a poem steeped in personal reflection, cultural homage, and the profound connection between land and identity. Through a rich tapestry of imagery and references, Lamantia weaves a narrative that bridges the personal and the universal, the past and the present, while paying tribute to the indigenous cultures of America.

The poem begins with a striking birth image: "Forty years ago I was born from a crumpled tower of immaculates that twist like the fleeting damaged bridge torrential rain on a road nearing Chehalis." This metaphor of a crumpled tower and a damaged bridge conveys both the fragility and resilience of life, suggesting a tumultuous entry into the world. The mention of Chehalis grounds the poem in a specific geographic and cultural context, hinting at the poet's deep ties to the land.

Lamantia's reverence for the land is evident as he describes "love driving through her native land," emphasizing the beauty and emotional significance of this connection. The "tears of an erotic Amonite sail Puget Sound to exalt the forest spirits" evoke a sense of ancient continuity and spiritual presence, linking personal experiences with broader natural and spiritual landscapes.

The poem's invocation of "native Amerindia" and specific tribes—Ohlones, Miwuk, Pomo, Ramytush, Salinan—serves to honor the indigenous peoples and their profound relationship with the land. This enumeration is a form of cultural remembrance and respect, grounding Lamantia's reflections in a lineage of ancestral wisdom and spirituality. The reference to the "Washo peyotlists" and the "morning prayer in the bowl of dawn" underscores the sacred rituals that connect these communities to the earth and the cosmos.

Lamantia's assertion that "none shall ever steal from me our sixty eyes to the smoke hole at the Tipi flue" speaks to a deep-seated defiance and protection of cultural heritage and spiritual vision. The "embers of sacred earth" symbolize the enduring essence of these traditions, while the poet's identification with "a poor man like they" reflects a sense of humility and solidarity with the marginalized and the dispossessed.

The poem's imagery shifts towards the mystical and the surreal as Lamantia mentions "the vision of the floating tipi over the hideous towns below" and "the objects are prefigures of omniscient dew." These lines evoke a transcendence above the mundane and corrupt, highlighting a spiritual perspective that sees beyond the material decay of modern civilization. The "slash of cosmic jokery" and "corpses of the doomed sciences" critique the arrogance of human knowledge and the failings of technological progress.

Lamantia's reference to "Birdy Dick ‘Old Grandmother’" and the "true fault line of Birdy Dick" adds a layer of personal mythology and oral history, blending individual memory with collective cultural narratives. The poet's "stony prayer" and "song I could not sing" convey a sense of longing and unexpressed devotion, a tribute to the resilience and suffering of the "people of human misery."

The repetition in the line "Repetition shall not make it less than our hearts entwined" emphasizes the enduring nature of love and memory, suggesting that time cannot diminish the bonds between the poet and the land, or between the present and the ancestral past. Lamantia's identification with the "mystery" of the Pleiades, and his invocation of the "Ancient ones," underscores the poem's cosmic dimension, situating human experience within a larger, timeless framework.

In the closing lines, Lamantia invokes the "Serpent of suffering" and reflects on the existential sounds of the "black grackle sounds at nightfall." These images capture the ongoing struggle and the enigmatic nature of existence, where suffering is intertwined with spiritual revelation and natural beauty.

"Native Medicine" is a profound meditation on identity, heritage, and the sacred connection to the land. Lamantia's intricate imagery and deep cultural references create a powerful poetic experience that honors indigenous traditions while exploring universal themes of suffering, resilience, and spiritual transcendence. The poem stands as a testament to the enduring power of cultural memory and the sacredness of the natural world.

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