avatarJ.D. Harms

Summary

The poem "Deserter" reflects on the act of abandonment, the search for identity, and the struggle to move forward amidst the haunting remnants of the past.

Abstract

"Deserter" is a contemplative poem that delves into the emotional landscape of a person who has surrendered to fear and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. The poem evokes powerful imagery of escape and transformation, likening the subject's departure to the bow of a canoe poised to break into new experiences. The individual's past is depicted as a veiled lexicon, filled with obscure judgments and indictments against the world. Despite leaving behind a life filled with scars and stories, the subject is unable to escape the memories that continue to shape their perception. The poem suggests that the beauty and scandals of the past are mere footnotes to the subject's current existence, yet they remain a significant influence, casting shadows on the present and hindering the ability to progress.

Opinions

  • The poem conveys a sense of surrender to fear, indicating a critical view of how fear can dictate one's actions.
  • The imagery of the canoe and the open beak suggests a readiness to embrace new experiences, yet also a vulnerability to being overwhelmed or broken by them.
  • The subject's past is portrayed as a burden, filled with painful memories and harsh self-judgments, which they carry with them even as they attempt to start anew.
  • The act of leaving behind a briefcase full of sentences implies a deliberate abandonment of one's previous life narrative, yet the inability to write one's way forward indicates a struggle with reinvention and progress.
  • The poem reflects on the idea that the past, despite being left behind, continues to influence and shape one's identity and creative expression.

Deserter

A Poem

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

You capitulate in the front of fear then drive through the sirened streets alight with your hair and mystery The bow of a canoe hangs like an open beak ready to swallow us, ready to break us Your twisted windows tinted against a black sky a veil for your lexicon, your deep exposure Rifling through the scars you find a shape you can adore a story that goes with it But then you left a briefcase full of sentences behind judgements obscure and braved titanic indictments against the streetlights Moving through the room a stiff, thin iron sepulcher a mouth that cannot be stuffed full enough The beauty that you imagined on leaving was nothing but a footnote to your old address The scandals that wind their way through your memory a new shading to the decimated world And now that you have everything to your back you’ve forgotten how to write your way forwards

J.D. Harms 2020

Poetry
Image
Writing
Musing
Illumination Curated
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