Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Moss’s poem “Swimmer in the Air” dives deeply into the themes of transformation, the intersection of nature and humanity, and the echoes of our evolutionary past. Through rich, evocative imagery and a blend of the surreal and the metaphysical, Moss explores the origins and ongoing journey of human existence, casting a reflective gaze on the relationship between the sea and the land, and our place within it.

The poem opens with a striking image: “That sea we see of surfaces / Turned upside down would be another world.” Moss invites us to imagine the ocean as an inverted landscape, a “bone shop, soaked in pearl,” filled with the remnants of past civilizations and natural mysteries. This alternate world, teeming with “Grecian garbage” and “Roman cities,” serves as a repository of history and lost treasures, suggesting that what lies beneath the surface holds untold stories and forgotten wealth.

The sea is depicted as a place of both decay and beauty, where “gray-rotted” secret farms exist alongside “unimaginable wealth.” This duality reflects the complex nature of the ocean, a place of death and life, loss and discovery. The “immemorial / Dead, floating in a blue-green bailiwick / Of nun-like plants, waving arms” paints a hauntingly beautiful picture of an underwater world that is both eerie and serene.

Moss contrasts this underwater realm with the idea that “That sea will not turn over.” Instead, it remains a hidden domain, much like the human psyche, with its “formal, hidden iceberg” that reveals only a fraction of its true self. The iceberg, “slant, oblique / With pregnancy below, thrust up its peak,” symbolizes the submerged, unseen parts of ourselves, filled with potential and mystery.

The poem transitions into a reflection on human anatomy and the metaphysical connections between flesh and articulation: “In the same vein, all flesh conceals / Articulation's fishnet, whose thread-bones.” This imagery likens human bodies to intricate networks, reminiscent of our evolutionary ancestors. The “metaphysic harp from sky to heel” suggests a divine or cosmic order connecting all living things.

Moss delves into the theme of identity and transformation, using the serpent’s shedding of its skin as a metaphor for renewal and change: “The fingernails of scale a snake will shed / In spring, coil after coil, on moistened clay.” This process of shedding and renewal is contrasted with the static, “now quite dead” facsimile left behind. This image speaks to the cyclical nature of life and the continuous process of becoming.

The poem then shifts to a contemplation of human nature and its need for guidance: “Man is an animal that needs a warden / To frighten off the Master's face.” This line suggests that humans require structure and fear to navigate their existence, hinting at a loss of innocence and the complexities introduced by knowledge and self-awareness.

Moss paints a vivid picture of modern humanity, juxtaposing it with our primal past: “For even an idiot sees a world / No tree or dog would dream of.” This contrast highlights the unique human ability to conceptualize, name, and interpret the world, albeit with a sense of disconnection from our natural origins. The imagery of a man lounging with “an ice-cold Cola / Clutched in one hand, and the Sunday funnies spread / On both his knees” underscores the comforts and distractions of contemporary life, far removed from our evolutionary beginnings.

The poem concludes with a reflection on our evolutionary journey from sea to land: “The river bottoms, and the sea-silt soft / As soup, the mudflats where night crawlers came.” This journey is depicted as a series of adaptations and transformations, leading to the eventual conquest of land. The mention of “birds beautifully beat blue / On erect wings” symbolizes the pinnacle of evolutionary success, contrasting with the grounded, flightless humans who still harbor traces of their aquatic origins.

Moss’s closing lines emphasize the inherent connection between humans and the sea: “For, mummer's of the ocean's Word, / Our dry translations, tidied from the deep.” This suggests that despite our advancements and separation from the ocean, we are still fundamentally linked to it. The “salt / Our tears and blood must harbor from its vault” serves as a poignant reminder of our shared origins, as “Part man, dry fish, and wingless bird.”

“Swimmer in the Air” is a profound meditation on the interconnectedness of life, the echoes of our evolutionary past, and the continuous process of transformation that defines the human experience. Through his masterful use of imagery and reflective narrative, Howard Moss invites readers to consider their place within the natural world and the deep, often hidden connections that bind us to it.

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