In-Depth Analysis
The Gulf Stream, 1899. Winslow Homer
Throughout this remarkable poem, Strand uses a beautiful, extended metaphor to emphasize the role and importance of childhood. As one might expect from the title “Where are the waters of childhood?”, he compares childhood to a large body of water that holds up one throughout life’s course. Whether it is in his reference to Homer’s “Gulf Stream” or in the nostalgic memories of his childhood, Strand demonstrates the lasting influence and foundational role that childhood plays. Indeed, he asserts that childhood never truly ends.
The first verse flows from the title of the poem very smoothly; it answers the title’s question by beginning the voyage through the author’s memories. In most poetry, the title is often a vague hint at the subject or a simple phrase. Employing a question is a technique with strengthens the relationship between the title and the poem. Essentially, the form of the title brings the whole poem into a question and answer format, something unique and peculiar to this work.
For the first seven stanzas, the poet constructs his metaphor with brief sketches of his childhood by inviting the reader on a tour through his old, now decrepit house. By doing this, he not only begins the story of his childhood, but also sets the spatial setting for the beginning of his poem. He notes it as a place where “asphalt shingles on the roof have peeled or fallen off” and “where tiers of oxeye daisies float on a sea of grass” (Line 3-4). These broken objects and foreign weeds represent the accumulation of time, age, and dust on his childhood memories. Immediately, the figurative language used to describe this “kingdom of rot” places the reader in the exact same room as the poet. The alliteration between “step” and “shattered” connects the action of stepping with adjective of shattered. By associating such pairs, Strand describes the house through physical actions. He employs sensory details as he encourages the reader to “smell the damp plaster” and “step over the shattered glass” (Line 7). Strand addresses the reader on a personal level by addressing their senses and effectively leads them through the house. As he declares in the last line of the stanza, this is where his childhood began.
In the second stanza, he continues the description of the house that once held his family; however, Strand also brings out one of the most important details in this poem. He makes an allusion to a famous painting as he implores the reader to “Look at the rusted stove and sink, at the rectangular stain on the wall where Winslow Homer’s Gulf Stream hung” (Line 9-10). A striking realist painting from the late nineteenth century, Gulf Stream depicts a dramatic struggle between a young man on a boat surrounded by rough waters and blood-thirsty sharks. However, the man remains unusually clam as his boat glides over the surface of the water. Strand uses this allusion as a visual representation of his childhood metaphor. The water is Strand’s childhood; it has lifted him up above the daily struggle of life, as represented by the sharks. Just as water keeps a boat afloat, the poet’s childhood carries the poet through his life and provides his foundation. This “water” of childhood is the foundation on which Strand floats his life on. Such as subtle reference to nineteenth century art might go unnoticed by the casual observer, but it serves to strengthen the author’s connection to water and childhood.One reason the author’s metaphor is so effective is because it uses an ancient archetype within humanity’s collective unconsciousness. Water has been long a symbol of life, critical to every creature and plant. Strand connects this archetype to childhood and associates childhood with the vital substance. Without childhood, humans lack a foundation to their life and lose the valuable experience it offers.
As the poem progresses, he shifts from vague descriptions of time periods in his childhood to specific sketches and memories. He also switches from the past tense to the present, which provides a quicker tempo to the writing. The story of his childhood seems faster and approaching the end. For example, he writes of characters in his life that are quickly disappearing: “When you leave, she sits on her porch, but not for long. When you look again they are gone” (Lines 22-23). The fact that he is suddenly finding himself alone indicates a new sense of independence, a newfound autonomy. Suddenly, people are leaving, aging and disappearing. Slowly, the support beams that were present throughout his entire childhood are being removed and leaving the full-fledged adult behind. This fast time change is an excellent transition to the next two stanzas, where the “boat” of adulthood is set out, supported by the waters of childhood.
As the poet’s childhood comes to a close, Strand foretells that “in a moment your parents will disappear, leaving you under the light of a vanished star, under the dark of a star newly born” (Lines 31-33) Strand’s reference to new and old stars contrasts the ending of his parent’s time with the beginning of his. He represents his parent’s influence with the “light” of the “vanished star” while representing himself as the “star newly born.” However, Strand makes it extremely clear in the next stanza that he is not truly leaving is childhood behind. He begins to set the metaphorical boat into the water and venture out. However, as he looks over the side of the boat, he notes that “the waters of childhood are there” (Line 35). In other words, his childhood is there to support him throughout his life and provide the foundation on which he will live the rest of his life. The tone of this ending is somber but hopeful. Though he has expressed some nostalgia for his childhood, Stand realizes that his childhood will stay with him. While simple, this beautiful analogy expresses the author’s belief that childhood never truly ends, since it is the bedrock on which he has anchored his life.
-Robert Chun
Picture Source
The first verse flows from the title of the poem very smoothly; it answers the title’s question by beginning the voyage through the author’s memories. In most poetry, the title is often a vague hint at the subject or a simple phrase. Employing a question is a technique with strengthens the relationship between the title and the poem. Essentially, the form of the title brings the whole poem into a question and answer format, something unique and peculiar to this work.
For the first seven stanzas, the poet constructs his metaphor with brief sketches of his childhood by inviting the reader on a tour through his old, now decrepit house. By doing this, he not only begins the story of his childhood, but also sets the spatial setting for the beginning of his poem. He notes it as a place where “asphalt shingles on the roof have peeled or fallen off” and “where tiers of oxeye daisies float on a sea of grass” (Line 3-4). These broken objects and foreign weeds represent the accumulation of time, age, and dust on his childhood memories. Immediately, the figurative language used to describe this “kingdom of rot” places the reader in the exact same room as the poet. The alliteration between “step” and “shattered” connects the action of stepping with adjective of shattered. By associating such pairs, Strand describes the house through physical actions. He employs sensory details as he encourages the reader to “smell the damp plaster” and “step over the shattered glass” (Line 7). Strand addresses the reader on a personal level by addressing their senses and effectively leads them through the house. As he declares in the last line of the stanza, this is where his childhood began.
In the second stanza, he continues the description of the house that once held his family; however, Strand also brings out one of the most important details in this poem. He makes an allusion to a famous painting as he implores the reader to “Look at the rusted stove and sink, at the rectangular stain on the wall where Winslow Homer’s Gulf Stream hung” (Line 9-10). A striking realist painting from the late nineteenth century, Gulf Stream depicts a dramatic struggle between a young man on a boat surrounded by rough waters and blood-thirsty sharks. However, the man remains unusually clam as his boat glides over the surface of the water. Strand uses this allusion as a visual representation of his childhood metaphor. The water is Strand’s childhood; it has lifted him up above the daily struggle of life, as represented by the sharks. Just as water keeps a boat afloat, the poet’s childhood carries the poet through his life and provides his foundation. This “water” of childhood is the foundation on which Strand floats his life on. Such as subtle reference to nineteenth century art might go unnoticed by the casual observer, but it serves to strengthen the author’s connection to water and childhood.One reason the author’s metaphor is so effective is because it uses an ancient archetype within humanity’s collective unconsciousness. Water has been long a symbol of life, critical to every creature and plant. Strand connects this archetype to childhood and associates childhood with the vital substance. Without childhood, humans lack a foundation to their life and lose the valuable experience it offers.
As the poem progresses, he shifts from vague descriptions of time periods in his childhood to specific sketches and memories. He also switches from the past tense to the present, which provides a quicker tempo to the writing. The story of his childhood seems faster and approaching the end. For example, he writes of characters in his life that are quickly disappearing: “When you leave, she sits on her porch, but not for long. When you look again they are gone” (Lines 22-23). The fact that he is suddenly finding himself alone indicates a new sense of independence, a newfound autonomy. Suddenly, people are leaving, aging and disappearing. Slowly, the support beams that were present throughout his entire childhood are being removed and leaving the full-fledged adult behind. This fast time change is an excellent transition to the next two stanzas, where the “boat” of adulthood is set out, supported by the waters of childhood.
As the poet’s childhood comes to a close, Strand foretells that “in a moment your parents will disappear, leaving you under the light of a vanished star, under the dark of a star newly born” (Lines 31-33) Strand’s reference to new and old stars contrasts the ending of his parent’s time with the beginning of his. He represents his parent’s influence with the “light” of the “vanished star” while representing himself as the “star newly born.” However, Strand makes it extremely clear in the next stanza that he is not truly leaving is childhood behind. He begins to set the metaphorical boat into the water and venture out. However, as he looks over the side of the boat, he notes that “the waters of childhood are there” (Line 35). In other words, his childhood is there to support him throughout his life and provide the foundation on which he will live the rest of his life. The tone of this ending is somber but hopeful. Though he has expressed some nostalgia for his childhood, Stand realizes that his childhood will stay with him. While simple, this beautiful analogy expresses the author’s belief that childhood never truly ends, since it is the bedrock on which he has anchored his life.
-Robert Chun
Picture Source
