Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Advantage," Charles Olson delves into the elemental forces shaping human existence, pondering how the intangible powers and patterns of life influence human actions and the natural world. This poem is structured around a series of existential questions and bold statements that question conventional beliefs, ultimately celebrating an almost primal interconnectedness between humanity, nature, and the cosmos.

The poem opens with a question that sets a contemplative, almost mystical tone: “Where do these invisible seeds settle from? / And how are men able to spore them into air?” Here, Olson evokes imagery of seeds floating through the air, implying that ideas, impulses, and perhaps even destinies drift through humanity, influencing and shaping individuals in unseen ways. These “seeds” represent the intangible and pervasive forces that contribute to the “gains” in life—both personal and societal advancements. By using the term “spore,” Olson likens human ideas or actions to natural processes of spreading and growth, suggesting that humanity’s influence expands almost like fungal spores, attaching to and affecting all they encounter. The comparison underlines Olson’s recurring theme that human actions are deeply embedded in and reflective of natural, even cosmic, cycles.

Olson’s exploration of “Powers” in the second section reflects his conviction in a higher, almost cosmic order that guides human behavior and life’s rhythm. The phrase, “Shall you say there are not Powers,” challenges the reader to acknowledge these larger forces. Olson’s invocation of Bolyai Farkas—a mathematician associated with geometry and abstract thought—serves as a metaphorical bridge between the physical world and intellectual abstraction. Farkas’s mention of “men spring[ing] up like violets” captures a striking image of human beings emerging naturally in response to need or circumstance, emphasizing humanity’s instinctive, seasonal nature. Olson suggests that each “season” of human history has its own defining “act and image,” a rhythm and a set of archetypes inherent to the times. He alludes to a harmony between human action and the cosmos, implying that men and women are bound by and respond to natural cycles as flowers respond to seasons, both rooted in an interdependent relationship with the forces that shape existence.

In the third section, Olson takes a radical step by advocating for a return to ancient cosmologies, suggesting, “So if we now again shall call the sun a male, / and give him back the moon for mate, / who’ll say we’re wrong?” This proposal is a call to return to archetypes and symbols that personify the sun and moon, representing masculine and feminine energies. Olson’s hypothetical inquiry asks readers to question the frameworks through which we view the universe and implies that perhaps modern abstractions have distanced humanity from a more profound, instinctual understanding of existence. Olson's line, “we who have endured, to rotting, / the old device,” acknowledges the paradox of enduring traditions that both ground and limit human perspectives. While these archetypes of “father, mother, son” have been heavily interpreted and sometimes corrupted, Olson suggests there is value in returning to their original essence, to the power they once held to bridge human experience and the cosmos.

The line “will you say / the root of universe / is not the root of man” underscores Olson’s conviction that humanity and the universe are deeply intertwined. He posits that to understand one is to understand the other; the root, or essence, of life and human nature is embedded within the fabric of the universe itself. Olson reinforces this notion by proposing that “the edge of peril / is the edge of life,” framing existence as a delicate balance between life and death, stability and chaos. This concept of living on “the edge” emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty and risk as inherent to human experience. Olson’s diction—“the edge of peril”—conveys a sense of awe and respect for life’s precariousness, implying that this awareness enhances human experience, deepening our understanding of life’s beauty and fragility.

The poem culminates in a crescendo of sensory imagery, asking readers not to “cry down / the act of touch, / the dumb thing knocking, knocking / at that door.” In this final appeal, Olson emphasizes the fundamental importance of direct, physical experience. “The act of touch” becomes a metaphor for engaging with the world in an authentic, primal way, urging readers to remain open to the visceral, immediate reality of life. The repeated phrase “knocking, knocking” invokes a sense of urgency, as if something essential is striving to reach us, and yet remains unacknowledged, unspoken. This “dumb thing” might represent the unvoiced or overlooked aspects of existence—intuition, nature, or perhaps even the soul itself—constantly striving to communicate with humanity but often ignored in favor of abstraction or intellectualization.

In "Advantage," Olson challenges readers to reconnect with life’s elemental rhythms, to respect the forces that shape human nature, and to find meaning not in avoiding difficulty but in embracing the full spectrum of existence. The poem reflects Olson’s belief in a holistic view of life, one that transcends individual experience and connects with the cosmos. Ultimately, "Advantage" is a poetic manifesto for a way of being that is rooted in awareness, reverence, and the courage to embrace life’s inherent mystery and peril.

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