Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson?s "Nerves Are Staves, & When the Tears Come There Is Voice" is a stark meditation on violence, historical cycles, and the moral costs of destruction. The poem’s brevity belies its complexity, offering a searing commentary on the interplay between economic, social, and emotional forces in shaping history. Olson’s work often examines the intersections of personal and cultural memory, and here he weaves a concise but potent narrative that links the past with the present and the destructive legacy of colonialism.

The opening line, “It got to cost $1,000,000 to kill an Indian by 1868,” immediately confronts the reader with the devastating economic calculus of genocide. Olson’s phrasing is deliberate, drawing attention to the grotesque commodification of human life and the systemic eradication of Native Americans. By specifying the year 1868, he situates the poem within the context of westward expansion, military campaigns against Indigenous peoples, and the broader history of U.S. colonial violence. The cold monetary figure underscores the industrial efficiency of destruction, reducing human lives to statistics in the service of territorial conquest.

The juxtaposition of this economic metric with the subsequent reference to the Civil War creates a layered critique of the nation’s priorities and contradictions. The Civil War, framed as a struggle for unity and the abolition of slavery, was itself an “expensive” endeavor. Olson’s use of the word “expensive” does more than quantify—it implies a moral and spiritual toll alongside the financial cost. The transition from the Civil War to the Indian Wars suggests a continuity of violence, where one form of destruction seamlessly gives way to another. The victories of war are revealed as hollow, purchased at an incalculable human cost.

The poem shifts focus with the introduction of Thomas Payne’s vision, a reference to Chinese farming practices in Illinois after military conquest. This image evokes a stark contrast between destruction and cultivation, annihilation and renewal. Payne’s vision, potentially symbolic of a utopian ideal of harmony and productivity, is ironically framed within the aftermath of violence. Olson suggests that even such idyllic visions are tainted by the context in which they emerge—a land cultivated at the expense of its original inhabitants.

The line “there has been already taken a negative, on the plate” introduces a photographic metaphor, reinforcing the theme of historical record and memory. The “negative” implies both a literal image and a figurative loss, capturing the shadows of a violent history that cannot be undone. The phrase “is now being printed” suggests an ongoing process, where the legacy of this destruction is continuously replicated and reinforced. History, like a photograph, is preserved in stark contrasts—what is illuminated and what is obscured. Olson’s use of the present tense connects the past to the present, emphasizing that the consequences of this history are still unfolding.

The title, "Nerves Are Staves, & When the Tears Come There Is Voice," adds an emotional dimension to the poem’s historical focus. The metaphor of nerves as staves evokes resilience and structure, yet also fragility, as staves are prone to breaking under pressure. The mention of tears introduces a moment of catharsis or reckoning, suggesting that the emotional toll of history—the grief and suffering it engenders—can give rise to articulation, to a voice that demands acknowledgment. The tears and the voice signify the human response to inhumanity, the enduring need to confront and bear witness to the past.

Structurally, the poem’s sparse lines and direct language reflect Olson’s ability to distill vast, complex histories into brief yet piercing observations. The absence of overtly lyrical flourishes reinforces the gravity of the subject matter, allowing the stark facts and imagery to resonate more powerfully. The poem’s tone is restrained but not detached; Olson’s underlying anger and sorrow are evident in his choice of words and the connections he draws.

Ultimately, "Nerves Are Staves, & When the Tears Come There Is Voice" is a profound reflection on the cycles of destruction and renewal that define human history. Olson critiques the economic and ideological forces that drive violence while simultaneously acknowledging the emotional and moral reckonings that follow. The poem invites readers to consider not only the costs of the past but also their ongoing implications, urging a recognition of the voices that emerge from the shadows of history.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...