The history of humanity is depicted depressingly in the poem “A Timbered Choir” by Wendell Berry. Wendell portrays a civilization that has fallen into disrepair and is no longer helpful, a planet on which humanity now resides. The reader is left feeling a range of intense emotions and with an ardent desire for a change in humanity’s core purpose after reading the poem. The poem alludes to the fact that it is now time to re-evaluate one’s priorities and one’s way of life. Wendell provides an intriguing perspective on the human predicament in which very few people dare to express themselves.
The first thing that comes to mind after reading this poem is the possibility that all land and homes could be destroyed in a global catastrophe caused by human ambition. Even though the poet never mentions the objective, of the poem in any way, shape, or form, the poem should still be concluded well to provide readers with the desired information. A variety of profound and innovative remarks about human nature are made throughout the poem at various stages. The poet believes that ” to the inevitable rule that those who have forgotten forget” (Berry). He brings the human aspect of the meaning of “forget” to the forefront, highlighting that forgetfulness is a common condition among humans. Most people live their lives intending to be remembered and leave their mark on the world.
Most of the time, a place in history is made up of children who have their own descendants. However, even in this best-case scenario, a person’s legacy will be lost to time within a few lifetimes (Sarnowski 245). The poet refers to individuals who “died in pursuit of the objective” (Berry). He suggests that the aim is more important than people’s lives, but that those who sacrificed themselves for it have been forgotten. This would imply that their efforts were in vain. According to his implication, those who lost their lives for it appear to have been forgotten (Greyson 14). It demonstrates that they place a higher priority on the goal than they do on their own lives.
The poet emphasizes the struggle people face throughout their lives and how they are willing to do everything it takes to achieve their goals, despite the difficulty of their endeavors. He uses the words “the once-enslaved, the once-oppressed were now free / to sell themselves to the highest bidder” (Berry) to express this goal of freedom. It is an essential phrase because it suggests that liberation for formerly enslaved or oppressed people is nothing more than an opportunity for those people to sell themselves. The lines apply to all humanity who has been enslaved or mistreated throughout the whole planet’s history.
Wendell uses the poem to show the impact of the western way of life on humanity, primarily focused on achieving one’s goals and requiring one to work to increase one’s pay and wealth. In western culture, the primary focus is on amassing material possessions to achieve a sense of personal fulfilment. Greyson argues that members of the human race are willing to trade their time and expertise for monetary compensation and other benefits (31). It is evident that Wendell does not subscribe to this way of life; in fact, it seems as though he is more of a spectator than a participant in this culture centered around achieving its goals.
Works Cited
Berry Wendell. “A Timbered Choir.” Look & See, Web.
Greyson, Gurley T. “Sacred Earth: The Role of the Natural Divine within Wendell Berry’s ‘Manifesto.’ DigitalCommons@USU, (May 2022): 1-51. Web.
Sarnowski, Joe. “[N]ot a Way But a Place”: The Discursive Ecology of Idealism and Pragmatism in Wendell Berry’s Sabbath Poems.” Pennsylvania Literary Journal 11.3 (2019): 205-333.