Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson?s "This Year" is a raw and forceful poem, a torrent of disillusionment and revelation centered around themes of ritual, divinity, and the nature of human belief. Through its visceral imagery and blunt language, Olson dismantles the structures of myth and tradition, exposing the emptiness behind the symbols and roles that humanity constructs to give meaning to its existence.

The poem begins with an acknowledgment of life’s force—“Thank God Life Came For Me”—a rare note of gratitude that quickly shifts into a caustic exploration of the rituals that ostensibly celebrate life. Olson evokes Nerthus, a goddess associated with fertility and cycles of renewal in Germanic mythology, setting the stage for his critique of the sacred parade that follows. The speaker, seated beside what he believes to be Nerthus’s divine counterpart, anticipates something profound or authentic, only to confront an unsettling hollowness.

Olson’s depiction of the parade—a cyclical ritual of life and renewal—carries a sense of monotony and futility. The wagon ride, which should symbolize the celebration of vitality and continuity, becomes a stifling ordeal, with the silence of the god figure growing unbearable. The speaker?s “jolting him” out of his passivity serves as both a literal and symbolic act of rebellion against the ritual’s lifelessness. This moment of confrontation reveals the unsettling truth: the god figure is nothing more than a doll, a constructed effigy imbued with false significance. The revelation that the figure is “Nothing But a God Damn Doll / Fixed Up With Teeth and Looking Like a Man” underscores the emptiness of the ritual and the artificiality of the symbols meant to inspire reverence.

The poem’s central theme lies in its critique of the roles and symbols humanity relies upon to structure belief and identity. Nerthus herself, though more animated than her male counterpart, is described as “a Fucking Witch,” suggesting that even the more dynamic aspects of the ritual are tainted by artifice and manipulation. The speaker’s disillusionment reflects a broader existential crisis: if the divine figures and rituals we construct are hollow, what does that say about the human need for meaning and order?

Olson also engages with the idea of absence and longing through the figure of Nerthus’s “husband god.” This figure, absent from the parade and “buried somewhere else in Truth & Life,” represents an unattainable ideal—a true divinity or source of meaning that remains forever out of reach. The speaker’s longing for the “real one” underscores humanity’s perpetual search for authenticity in a world dominated by simulacra and constructs. The recurring rituals, which should bridge the gap between the sacred and the mundane, instead highlight the disconnection and emptiness at the heart of human endeavors.

Structurally, the poem’s unrelenting stream of consciousness mirrors the chaotic, overwhelming nature of the speaker’s disillusionment. Olson eschews traditional punctuation and formal constraints, allowing the poem to flow with an urgency that reflects the speaker’s frustration and desperation. The language is colloquial and abrasive, with phrases like “sons of bitches” and “God Damn Doll” injecting a visceral rawness that disrupts any pretense of reverence or solemnity. This stylistic choice aligns with Olson’s broader poetic ethos, emphasizing directness and emotional immediacy over polish or refinement.

The poem’s ending, with its grim anticipation of the next year’s parade, reinforces the cyclical nature of the rituals and the futility of expecting change. The speaker’s plea—“Lord, God, Save Us All”—is laced with irony, as the very structures of belief and divinity he critiques offer no solace or redemption. Instead, the parade becomes a metaphor for the human condition: a repetitive, often hollow journey punctuated by fleeting hopes and persistent disillusionment.

"This Year" is both a critique and a lament, exposing the artifice and emptiness of human rituals while grappling with the deeper longing for meaning and connection that drives them. Olson’s raw language and fragmented structure amplify the intensity of his message, leaving readers with a sense of unease and a challenge to reconsider the foundations of belief and tradition. In its stark confrontation with the failures of ritual and representation, the poem captures the restless, searching spirit that defines much of Olson’s work.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...