Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

David Wagoner’s Survivor is a poignant exploration of mortality, resilience, and the natural cycle of life. The poem’s central focus, a dying salmon, becomes a powerful symbol of endurance and inevitability. Through vivid imagery and restrained yet emotive language, Wagoner conveys both the raw struggle for survival and the inevitable surrender to nature’s processes.

The poem begins with the stark image of a salmon lying exposed, “the river no longer / Covering all of it.” This opening situates the reader immediately in the salmon’s plight, a being caught between life and death. The physical description is unflinching: the “hooked jaws gaping,” the “dark flanks battered cadaver-white,” and the “fungus scaling its gills.” These details emphasize the salmon’s decay and suffering, presenting a visceral portrayal of life at its limit. The marigold-colored fungus contrasts sharply with the grim setting, a fleeting burst of vibrancy amidst decline.

The dialogue between the narrator and their companion adds an emotional dimension to the scene. The companion’s plea, “Help it,” highlights a human desire to intervene, to resist the inevitable. The narrator’s response, “I can’t help it, it’s dying,” underscores the futility of action against the natural order. The narrator’s recognition of the salmon’s imminent death contrasts with the fish’s instinctual movements, as it “splashed to life, came scuttering, fishtailing forward.” This juxtaposition of human helplessness and the salmon’s primal drive encapsulates the tension between awareness and instinct.

The salmon’s movements, described as “writhe ashore” and “tilt upright in an inch of water,” illustrate its desperate effort to find orientation in an alien environment. Its “hooked jaws gaping / And closing around as much sharp air as water” suggest both its struggle for survival and its disconnection from its natural habitat. Wagoner imbues these actions with a sense of tragic dignity, portraying the salmon’s fight as both futile and admirable.

The narrator’s intervention, turning the salmon “away / With my boot,” is a moment of reluctant engagement. This act, while practical, also carries symbolic weight. It reflects a human desire to redirect, to assist even when the outcome seems predetermined. The salmon’s response, “lurched and slid / To a pool as deep as its body,” is a moment of respite, a brief return to a semblance of natural rhythm. Yet the journey downstream signals the inevitability of its fate, a quiet resignation to the current of life and death.

The poem’s closing image, “while we followed it / (Where the yellow leaves came scattering to the shallows) / And watched its dorsal fin be joined by another,” is rich with layers of meaning. The leaves, symbols of seasonal change and decay, mirror the salmon’s decline. The joining of another dorsal fin introduces the idea of communal experience in nature—death and survival are not solitary processes but part of a shared cycle. The phrase “for the cold time being” captures the transitory nature of life and the momentary stillness before the inevitable conclusion.

Structurally, the poem moves seamlessly between observation, action, and reflection. The free verse form mirrors the fluidity of the river and the unpredictability of the salmon’s movements. Wagoner’s restrained use of dialogue and action heightens the emotional impact, allowing the imagery and pacing to carry the weight of the narrative.

At its core, Survivor reflects on the tension between life’s tenacity and the inevitability of death. The salmon’s struggle becomes a metaphor for the universal drive to persist despite insurmountable odds. The poem does not romanticize nature but presents it in all its harshness and beauty, reminding readers of their place within its cycles. Through its vivid portrayal of the salmon’s final moments, Wagoner invites contemplation on resilience, empathy, and the acceptance of life’s impermanence.

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