September 1918 by Amy Lowell
As the title suggests, this poem was written during World War I. There was a sense of purposelessness roaming around the world. In this poem, she is embracing the reality of life with an optimistic attitude. It is an interesting poem woven around the scenario of war. Presents the horrific time and the experience of people who are living in a “broken world”. There is an unavoidable mental and physical impact of the war with a tinge of hope that everything will turn out to be fine. The poem is written in a melancholy mood but also radiates a blissful lesson in the time of darkness. Different tones have been used throughout the poem to depict the mixed emotions during the war. It explores the imbalance of beauty and the horror of the world. With a sense of hope and imagination, the poem reflects the expectation of the poet with reality.
It opens with a positive and perfect afternoon where “the color of water falling through sunlight” depicts a clear day, and the “trees glittering” through the “tumbling leaves”. The sidewalks were adorned by the dropped maple leaves to welcome the wanderer by the narrow streets. From the houses, the burst of laughter could be heard out of “open windows”. Urban and nature imagery come together to create a happy life. In this work, nature is used to reflect the purposelessness and effectiveness of the times. At the same moment, two little boys were lying flat under a tree in the park. They are future generations of the nation who meticulously pick or gather “red berries” in a “pasteboard box”. Here, red berries are the metaphor for memories, as they symbolize life in fragments. Whereas the “pasteboard box” is an indication of the future, a bright future in this case. They are collecting the remnants piecemeal in between the war to be referred to in the future. The poet is suggesting their constant efforts to focus on the positive side instead of the dreadful war.
The tone shifts to the darker side of the war along with hope. War symbolizes death, misery, and sorrow. The post-war condition is disheartening for the nation as a whole. But still, there is a hope that someday there will be no war and she will be able to revisit this peaceful “afternoon” out of her memory collection by turning it in her “finger”. The poet uses the technique of sensory imagery by creating the image through the use of senses like touch and taste. She will taste the life out of those berries and touch the “ crisp variety” of the “flight of leaves” from that particular afternoon. It is her awareness of the situation that compels her to collect all these memories in the box. She is planning to enjoy the “sweet taste” on her “palate” when everything gets settled in the coming time.
But today, when the war is going on, she cannot enjoy any of this, so she’s preserving all the memories in her “lunch box”. The lunch box is used to store food that provides energy to strive the entire day. In her case, it refers to the entire life in front of her. She wants to enjoy her present in the future because right now, she has “time for nothing” as she is trying to “balance” with the “endeavor” upon this “broken world”.
