Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Moss’s poem "Those Who Cannot Are Condemned" is a profound meditation on the nature of memory, perception, and the consequences of failing to learn from the past. Using Santayana's famous dictum as a springboard, Moss explores the complexities of human experience through vivid imagery and philosophical reflection. The poem delves into how individuals navigate their pasts, the distortions of memory, and the inescapable truths that shape our lives.

The opening lines, "Shipwrecked in daylight and docked in dark, / The blindman lacks a mirror in each eye," immediately set a tone of paradox and contrast. The blindman, despite his lack of physical sight, possesses an inner vision that transcends the limitations of the external world. Through "the ticking clock and the crowing cock," he constructs a "visionary sky," mapping out the universe within his mind. This portrayal highlights the theme that true insight does not rely solely on physical sight but on a deeper understanding and perception.

Moss continues to contrast the blindman’s internal clarity with the confusion of those who have physical sight but lack true understanding: "And there are those who see far less than he / By seeing more." These individuals are depicted as choosing "a twisted key / To lock themselves from their necessity," suggesting that an overreliance on superficial perceptions can lead to a disconnect from essential truths.

The poem further examines how memory can distort reality: "For memory distorts the ghosts that ply / The glassy lightness of their mirrors, they / Tempt the senses to a kind of play." This distortion turns experiences into mere "scenery," with no audience to witness their significance except for one who "stares at nothing" and runs from both "darkness" and "sun." Moss implies that such individuals are trapped in a cycle of illusion, unable to confront the true nature of their existence.

Moss also addresses the ways people deal with their pasts, with some "closet[ing] all their dead behind one door" and mourning their self-created apparitions. These individuals are prisoners of their own making, "rattl[ing] on the knob while they implore / Freedom from a jail, which is their own." This imagery underscores the self-imposed nature of their confinement, as they are unable to move beyond the ghosts of their past.

The poem's exploration of memory and its impact on the present is further enriched by the depiction of "ageless children" who "murder dreams they gave / Away too soon," and harpies that "make merrier the birth-rites while they rave." These lines convey the tragic consequences of prematurely abandoning hopes and the chaotic forces that can consume unfulfilled potential.

Moss shifts to those who "rewrite a calendar that time / Has never witnessed, drawing on the air / Impossible mythologies." These individuals live in a world of their own creation, detached from reality, while others "drag through the Odysseys of their despair," locked in a self-made doom. The reference to Odysseus evokes a sense of endless wandering and struggle, underscoring the theme of being trapped in one's personal narrative.

The poem concludes with a somber reflection on the future and the ultimate fate of those who cannot learn from their past: "And some rehearse a future that the world / Will weed out carelessly: uprooted trees / Flung in a field where winter wind has furled / Along the bough of hope its icicles." This imagery of a bleak, winter landscape signifies the harsh reality that awaits those who fail to heed the lessons of their experiences. Moss emphasizes the pain and confusion of those who travel far in search of "false translations of the way they were," ultimately dying "not knowing who they are."

In "Those Who Cannot Are Condemned," Howard Moss masterfully uses imagery and philosophical reflection to explore the intricate relationship between memory, perception, and reality. The poem challenges readers to confront their own understandings of the past and its influence on their present lives, urging them to seek deeper truths beyond the surface of mere appearances. Moss's exploration of these themes resonates with the timeless human struggle to find meaning and clarity in a complex and often bewildering world.

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