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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
May Swenson’s “Beginning to Squall” is a vibrant, sensory depiction of a bay scene bracing for an impending squall. The poem captures the interplay between natural forces and human-made objects, blending a playful tone with an underlying tension as boats and buoys respond to the approaching storm. Swenson’s wordplay, visual imagery, and rhythmic patterns make the poem a dynamic and engaging experience. The opening lines immediately set the scene with a buoy anthropomorphized as “a man in a red sou’wester,” a vivid image that combines functionality with whimsy. This buoy, “up to the top of its boots in the water,” leans in a gesture that could be read as cautioning or bracing against the squall. Swenson’s description of the buoy as a human-like figure establishes a relationship between the inanimate and the animate, setting the tone for the entire poem. The poem’s structure is marked by its rhythm and alliteration, particularly in the use of the repeated “B” sound: “Buoy,” “boots,” “blue boat,” “bobbing,” “shrugging.” These sounds mimic the bouncing motion of the boats and the choppy waters of the bay. The personification of the blue boat “nodding ‘No’” and then “shivering ‘Yes’” conveys its reluctant submission to the forces of nature. This interaction between the buoy and the boat is almost conversational, imbuing the scene with an animated, almost comedic energy. Swenson extends this theme of resistance and inevitability through the imagery of the white and green boats, which are “quibbling” in the water. The question, “What is it they don’t want to do?” introduces a note of curiosity and ambiguity. The boats, like the humans who control them, seem unwilling to fully yield to the storm, creating a subtle metaphor for human resistance to forces beyond control. The description of the bay emphasizes its liveliness and color: “The Bay goes on bouncing anchor floats, / their colors tennis and tangerine.” Swenson’s use of bright, playful imagery contrasts with the darker undertones of the approaching storm. This duality—the joy of movement and color against the backdrop of potential danger—creates a layered emotional texture. The poem’s tone begins to shift in the second half as the preparations for the squall intensify. The boats “buttoning slickers on” evoke an image of small, vulnerable creatures preparing for rough weather. This personification continues with the buoy, now “jumping up and down,” its actions reflecting both urgency and helplessness. The “black belt stenciled ‘I’” on the buoy could symbolize its identity or purpose, a solitary sentinel in the storm. The yellow boat’s action—lowering its sail to “wrap like a bandage around the boom”—introduces a more somber note. The bandage imagery suggests injury or vulnerability, hinting at the violence of the impending squall. This prepares the reader for the final image, where “blades are sharpening in the water.” The water, initially a playful and dynamic presence, now takes on a menacing edge, its brightness contrasting with the “duller” sky. This shift in tone underscores the inevitability and power of the natural forces at play. Swenson’s mastery lies in her ability to evoke both the visual and emotional textures of the scene. The poem’s rhythm and wordplay mirror the movement of the bay, while its imagery captures the tension between playfulness and foreboding. The personification of the boats and buoys allows the reader to connect emotionally with the scene, turning an everyday moment into a rich metaphor for human resilience and the inexorable power of nature. In “Beginning to Squall,” Swenson offers a meditation on the relationship between the human-made and the natural, the playful and the perilous. The poem’s vibrant imagery and rhythmic energy create a vivid snapshot of a bay in flux, while its deeper themes invite reflection on the ways we navigate life’s inevitable storms.
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