Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

David Wagoner’s “One Ear to the Ground” immerses the reader in the vibrant nocturnal world, a realm teeming with life, death, and the forces of nature that lie beyond human perception. The poem’s speaker, lying on the ground, becomes a passive conduit for the earth’s myriad voices, hearing sounds both immediate and distant, natural and symbolic. Wagoner crafts a meditation on interconnectedness and the persistence of life’s cycles, portraying a nightscape alive with activity beneath its surface calm.

The opening line, “Stretched out on the ground, I hear the news of the night,” establishes the speaker’s physical posture as one of submission and receptivity. The act of lying with an ear to the earth conveys a willingness to connect with the primordial rhythms of the world. The phrase “news of the night” frames the natural sounds as a kind of reportage, suggesting that the earth communicates its own vital truths through its nocturnal symphony. This perspective positions the speaker as a listener, not an actor, underscoring a humility in the face of nature’s vast, intricate web.

Wagoner’s descriptions of the sounds are vivid and layered. The “faraway honks of geese flying blind as stars” blend the physical and the metaphysical, juxtaposing the geese’s instinctual navigation with the eternal constancy of celestial bodies. The reference to stars also evokes a sense of the sublime, connecting the mundane honking of geese to the larger cosmos. The mention of “hoof- or heartbeats” further deepens this connection, suggesting that the rhythm of animal movement is indistinguishable from the rhythm of life itself.

The imagery of predation, such as “the squeaks of bats, impaling moths in the air,” highlights the ceaseless cycle of life and death. The detail of “light wings / To flutter by themselves down to the grass” captures a moment of eerie beauty, where the remnants of life—now separated from their source—become part of the landscape. The speaker’s awareness extends beyond what is visible, reaching “under that grass” to hear the “thud and thump of meeting, the weasel’s whisper.” This auditory exploration of the subterranean world emphasizes the hidden, often brutal realities of existence that sustain the surface’s tranquility.

The poem’s soundscape expands outward, moving from the specific to the collective. Wagoner evokes a primal wilderness with “coyotes howling / All national anthems.” The coyotes’ cries are universalized, representing a raw, unfiltered expression of existence that transcends human boundaries. Their howling “picks up / Where men leave off,” a powerful commentary on the enduring voice of nature amidst the transient ambitions of humanity. Wagoner suggests that while human activity may dominate the day, the night belongs to the earth’s original inhabitants, whose songs are untainted by artifice.

The final lines deepen the poem’s philosophical resonance. Beneath the surface activity of animals and plants, the “faulted and flawed earth” itself becomes a character, “shaking its answer” to the life above. This rumble suggests both geological movement and a metaphorical response to the cycles of predation, survival, and decay. The phrase “faulted and flawed” acknowledges the imperfection inherent in the earth’s processes, yet it also implies resilience and continuity. The earth’s voice is both literal—manifested in seismic activity—and symbolic, representing the ultimate foundation of life.

Structurally, the poem mirrors its themes of interconnectedness. The lines flow seamlessly, with enjambment carrying ideas across multiple verses, mimicking the unbroken continuity of the natural world. The repetition of “and” creates a cumulative rhythm, layering sounds and images into a cohesive whole. This structure mirrors the way the speaker experiences the night: as an overlapping tapestry of distinct yet interconnected elements.

Wagoner’s use of language is precise and evocative. The verbs—“impaling,” “flutter,” “whisper,” “howling,” “shaking”—convey motion and vitality, imbuing even the smallest details with a sense of life. The juxtaposition of concrete imagery with abstract ideas—such as the comparison of geese to stars and the reference to coyotes singing “national anthems”—adds depth and complexity, inviting readers to reflect on the relationship between the natural and the symbolic.

“One Ear to the Ground” ultimately celebrates the richness of the natural world and its unending cycles, even as it acknowledges the underlying violence and impermanence. By positioning the speaker as a passive observer, Wagoner emphasizes the importance of listening and attuning oneself to the earth’s rhythms. The poem challenges readers to consider their place within these cycles and to recognize the profound, often unseen connections that bind all living things. Through its vivid imagery and meditative tone, the poem offers a poignant reminder of nature’s enduring voice, which continues to speak whether or not we choose to hear it.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...