Close Reading: A City's Death By Fire - Derek Walcott

 A City's Death By Fire - Derek Walcott

After that hot gospeller has levelled all but the churched sky,

I wrote the tale by tallow of a city's death by fire;

Under a candle's eye, that smoked in tears, I

Wanted to tell, in more than wax, of faiths that were snapped like wire.

All day I walked abroad among the rubbled tales,

Shocked at each wall that stood on the street like a liar;

Loud was the bird-rocked sky, and all the clouds were bales

Torn open by looting, and white, in spite of the fire.

By the smoking sea, where Christ walked, I asked, why

Should a man wax tears, when his wooden world fails?

In town, leaves were paper, but the hills were a flock of faiths;

To a boy who walked all day, each leaf was a green breath

Rebuilding a love I thought was dead as nails,

Blessing the death and the baptism by fire.

Source: https://allpoetry.com/A-City's-Death-By-Fire

Annotation

Line-by-Line Analysis:

1. After that hot gospeller has levelled all but the churched sky,

Key Phrases: "hot gospeller," "churched sky"

Literary Devices: Metaphor, Symbolism

Meaning: The poem opens with a powerful image of devastation. The "hot gospeller" is a metaphor for a destructive force, while the "churched sky" symbolizes the enduring spirit of faith even in the face of ruin.

2. I wrote the tale by tallow of a city's death by fire;

Key Phrases: "tallow," "fire"

Literary Devices: Metonymy, Symbolism

Meaning: The speaker uses candle wax to record the city's tragic story, highlighting the temporary nature of memory compared to the permanence of loss.

3. Under a candle's eye, that smoked in tears, I

Key Phrases: "candle's eye," "smoked in tears"

Literary Devices: Personification, Metaphor

Meaning: The flickering flame personifies the city's grief, its "tears" mirroring the emotional impact of the fire.

4. Wanted to tell, in more than wax, of faiths that were snapped like wire.

Key Phrases: "wax," "snapped like wire"

Literary Devices: Metaphor, Symbolism

Meaning: The speaker desires to convey the fragility and suddenness of faith's destruction, emphasizing the limitations of language in capturing such profound loss.

5. All day I walked abroad among the rubbled tales,

Key Phrases: "rubbled tales," "abroad"

Literary Devices: Metaphor

Meaning: The speaker navigates the ruins, each fragment of debris a story of loss, highlighting the pervasiveness of the tragedy.

6. Shocked at each wall that stood on the street like a liar;

Key Phrases: "walls," "liar"

Literary Devices: Metaphor

Meaning: Standing walls symbolize false hope, offering a deceptive sense of stability amidst the devastation.

7. Loud was the bird-rocked sky, and all the clouds were bales

Key Phrases: "bird-rocked sky," "bales"

Literary Devices: Metaphor

Meaning: The chaotic sky, compared to looted treasures, emphasizes the disruption and uncertainty caused by the fire.

8. Torn open by looting, and white, in spite of the fire.

Key Phrases: "looting," "white"

Literary Devices: Juxtaposition, Symbolism

Meaning: The act of looting highlights the human instinct for survival even in the face of tragedy, while the white streets symbolize unexpected purity emerging from destruction.

9. By the smoking sea, where Christ walked, I asked, why

Key Phrases: "smoking sea," "Christ walked"

Literary Devices: Allusion, Symbolism

Meaning: Standing near a place of spiritual significance, the speaker questions the reason for suffering, adding a layer of religious exploration.

10. Should a man wax tears, when his wooden world fails?

Key Phrases: "wax tears," "wooden world"

Literary Devices: Metaphor, Symbolism

Meaning: The speaker ponders the effectiveness of grief in the face of immense loss, questioning whether emotions can truly express such profound pain.

11. In town, leaves were paper, but the hills were a flock of faiths;

Key Phrases: "leaves," "hills," "faiths"

Literary Devices: Metaphor, Symbolism

Meaning: The speaker finds hope in nature's renewal, contrasting the fragility of town life with the enduring strength of faith represented by the hills.

12. To a boy who walked all day, each leaf was a green breath

Key Phrases: "boy," "green breath"

Literary Devices: Personification, Symbolism

Meaning: The child's perspective sees hope in nature's resilience, offering a sense of renewal amidst the devastation.

13. Rebuilding a love I thought was dead as nails,

Key Phrases: "dead as nails," "rebuilding"

Meaning: The speaker discovers a newfound love and forgiveness, choosing to rebuild instead of dwelling on the past.

14. Blessing the death and the baptism by fire.

Key Phrases: "death," "baptism by fire"

Meaning: The poem concludes with a paradoxical acceptance of destruction's transformative power, recognizing the fire as both an ending and a beginning.

Overall: This poem is a powerful exploration of loss, grief, and the search for meaning in the aftermath of tragedy. Through vivid imagery and symbolism, the speaker navigates the emotional landscape of devastation, questioning, ultimately finding hope in resilience and renewal. The poem's open-ended conclusion leaves space for interpretation, inviting readers to contemplate their own responses to loss and transformation.

Analysis of Derek Walcott's "A City's Death by Fire":

Structure and Rhythm:

The poem's structure mirrors the cyclical nature of destruction and rebirth. The four stanzas, each with nine lines, offer a sense of closure while hinting at the endless cycle of fire and renewal. The rhythm is uneven, mimicking the chaos of the fire and the speaker's emotional state. The use of enjambment and line breaks adds to the urgency and breathlessness of the poem.

Meaning and Imagery:

The poem paints a vivid picture of a city ravaged by fire. The "hot gospeller" symbolizes the destructive force of the flames, leaving only the "churched sky" as a reminder of what was lost. The speaker, writing by candlelight, struggles to capture the grief and loss in mere words ("tell, in more than wax"). The imagery of "rubbled tales," "walls like liars," and "bales torn open" by looting further emphasizes the devastation.

However, amidst the despair, there are glimpses of hope. The "bird-rocked sky" and the "white" clouds suggest a sense of peace and renewal. By the sea, the speaker questions the need for tears ("why / Should a man wax tears") when the material world is gone. He finds solace in nature, with the "paper" leaves transforming into a "green breath" of love rebuilding a connection he thought was lost. The final lines, "Blessing the death and the baptism by fire," suggest a paradoxical acceptance of the destruction as a necessary step towards renewal.

Literary Devices:

The poem is rich in literary devices:

Metaphors: "hot gospeller" for fire, "wooden world" for the city, "baptism by fire" for renewal.

Symbolism: "churched sky" representing faith, "bird-rocked sky" signifying hope, "leaves" symbolizing rebirth.

Rhetorical questions: "why / Should a man wax tears" to challenge grief, "each leaf was a green breath" to emphasize the power of nature.

Personification: "loud was the bird-rocked sky," "bales torn open by looting" to give life to inanimate objects.

Overall:

"A City's Death by Fire" is a powerful poem that grapples with the themes of loss, grief, and hope. Walcott's masterful use of language and imagery paints a vivid picture of a city in ashes, while also offering a glimmer of light amidst the darkness. The poem's cyclical structure and paradoxical message resonate with the human experience of dealing with destruction and rebuilding.

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