Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson’s "Measure a Vessel Blatting" captures a moment of maritime soundscape, using the imagery of foghorns and bell buoys to explore themes of perception, distance, and the interplay between the natural and the mechanical. The poem’s compact structure and sparse language create an atmospheric meditation on sound as a measure of space and presence, while its layered metaphors invite reflection on the relationships between humanity, nature, and the divine.

The poem opens with a "vessel blatting its foghorn," an image that immediately situates the reader in a foggy maritime environment. The foghorn, a mechanical signal used to navigate obscured waters, serves as both a literal and symbolic marker of presence. Its sound is a form of communication, asserting the vessel’s existence in a landscape of uncertainty and reduced visibility. Olson’s use of "blatting," a term that suggests both the functional and the discordant, emphasizes the foghorn’s raw, almost animalistic quality.

The transition to "fog bells religious" shifts the tone, introducing a layer of spirituality and contemplation. The bells, associated with navigation and safety, are described as "religious by the distance of the island," suggesting that their sound, amplified and transformed by distance, takes on a transcendent or sacred quality. The island, shrouded and remote, becomes a locus of mystery and spiritual resonance, a counterpart to the foghorn’s assertive presence.

The phrase "double bell as if bell-buoy wave-made to sound" introduces a sense of natural rhythm and randomness. The bell buoy, activated by the movement of waves, contrasts with the deliberate action of the foghorn, emphasizing the interplay between human-made and natural forces. The "double bell" evokes echoes and layering, reinforcing the theme of distance and the multiplicity of perception.

The final lines—"the vessel flatting / the graver measure"—are enigmatic yet evocative. The word "flatting" suggests a leveling or dampening effect, as if the vessel’s foghorn flattens or competes with the deeper resonance of the bell buoy. The "graver measure" implies a more profound or somber rhythm, perhaps the rhythm of the sea itself or the broader existential undercurrent beneath the mechanical and natural sounds. This juxtaposition of "blatting" and "graver measure" encapsulates the tension between immediacy and depth, surface and essence.

Structurally, the poem’s brevity and fragmented lines mirror the disjointed experience of navigating through fog, where sound becomes a primary mode of orientation. Olson’s use of enjambment and minimal punctuation creates a flowing, wave-like rhythm, reflecting the movement of water and sound through the landscape.

"Measure a Vessel Blatting" is a nuanced exploration of sound, distance, and meaning within a maritime context. By juxtaposing the mechanical and the natural, the immediate and the transcendent, Olson invites readers to consider the ways in which we orient ourselves in the world—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The poem’s layered imagery and meditative tone make it a compelling reflection on the interconnectedness of human experience and the environment, resonating with Olson’s broader concerns as a poet of place and perception.

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