Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

James Merrill's poem "For a Second Marriage" is a deeply reflective piece that intertwines the natural imagery of orchards and trees with the emotional complexities of love, commitment, and the passage of time. The poem uses the metaphor of an orchard to explore the themes of renewal, memory, and the enduring yet changing nature of relationships, particularly in the context of a second marriage.

The poem begins with the speaker addressing the orchards, where "Women we love stand propped in your green prisons." This image of women as trees, rooted and yet confined, suggests both the nurturing and restrictive aspects of love and marriage. The "green prisons" could symbolize the roles or expectations placed upon these women, who are "obedient to such justly bending laws." These laws might represent the societal norms or personal vows that govern their lives and decisions. The idea that each woman "longs to take root" and "lives to confess whatever season's / Pride of blossom or endeavor's fruit" implies a deep connection to the cycles of nature and the passage of time, with each season bringing its own challenges and rewards.

As the poem progresses, the tone shifts with the arrival of autumn, which "reddens the whole mind." Autumn, often associated with maturity and the approach of winter, brings a sense of introspection and change. The speaker notes that no longer will the "dazzle of a year" easily seduce these women from their "bare cage of loud wind," suggesting a weariness with fleeting promises and the transient nature of love. The image of the "bare cage" emphasizes the starkness and exposure that comes with the passage of time, where the promises of renewal and blossoming are tempered by the reality of loss and change.

The poem then reflects on the speaker’s lingering in the orchards, despite the changes and challenges that come with time. The lines "Orchards we planted, trees we shook / To learn what you were bearing, say we stayed" indicate a sense of investment and curiosity in the outcomes of these relationships. The speaker admits that they stayed "Because one winter twilight we mistook / Frost on a bleakened bough / For buds of green, and were afraid / To miss the old persuasion, should we go." This suggests a fear of abandoning something that might still hold promise, even if that promise is hard to discern in the harsh light of reality. The "old persuasion" represents the hope or belief in renewal, in the possibility that what seems dead or dormant might yet bloom again.

Spring’s arrival brings "discourse made / Enough of weddings to us all," implying that the cycles of nature and love continue to inspire thoughts of renewal and commitment, even after disillusionment or loss. The speaker acknowledges the power of love, "loving her for whom the whole world grows / Fragrant and white," which renews the connection to life and its potential for beauty and growth.

The poem's final lines shift focus to the imagery of a "tall trunk's cross-section" showing "Concentric rings, those many marriages / That life on each live thing bestows." This powerful metaphor speaks to the layers of experience, growth, and time that accumulate in a life or a relationship. Each ring represents a year, a cycle of growth, and by extension, the various "marriages" or commitments that have shaped the speaker’s life. These marriages are not just literal unions but also the bonds formed with time, memory, and experience.

"For a Second Marriage" is a contemplative meditation on the enduring, cyclical nature of love and commitment. Merrill uses the orchard as a rich metaphorical landscape to explore the complexities of relationships, especially in the context of a second marriage, where the past lingers and informs the present. The poem beautifully captures the tension between the desire for renewal and the acceptance of change, ultimately suggesting that love, like life, is a process of continual growth, marked by the rings of time and experience.

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