Jared Carter’s poetry often centers on themes of discovery and renewal, particularly within the context of the natural world. This exploration is beautifully illustrated in two of his poems, “After the Rain” and “Healing,” which offer contrasting perspectives on the process of rediscovering what has been lost or obscured.
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Unearthing the Past: An Analysis of “After the Rain”
“After the Rain” depicts a yearly ritual of searching a field near a riverbend for “lost things still rising here.” This act of searching becomes a metaphor for the unearthing of history and memory, symbolized by the “crop of arrowheads” turned up by the farmer’s plow.
Carter masterfully employs imagery to evoke the sense of mystery surrounding these artifacts. The arrowheads, “like hail, dropped from an empty sky,” suggest a connection to a past that is both present and elusive. The rain washes away the “dusty afterbirth of their return,” revealing these glimpses into history, yet they remain “hard to see,” blending in with the landscape.
The poem emphasizes the importance of perspective in the act of discovery. Conviction, or clinging to preconceived notions, can blind us to the truth, causing us to “miss the point.” True discovery requires a shift in perspective, a willingness to “wander across the rows, letting his own perspective change.”
This wandering gaze, open to the unexpected, is rewarded with the possibility of finding “something…glittering and strange.” The poem’s ending leaves the reader with a sense of anticipation, suggesting that the act of searching is as important as the discovery itself.
The Natural Cycle of Healing
In “Healing,” Carter shifts his focus to the restorative power of time and nature. The poem’s concise structure, mirroring the brevity of the healing process, emphasizes the ephemeral nature of pain and injury. A blister heals within a week, just as the earth regenerates, bringing “color” back to a “barren waste.”
This natural cycle of regeneration extends to memory and emotion. Just as the physical world heals, so too do our internal landscapes. “Each remembered face / Or wave approaching some far beach / falls into place.” This suggests that the passage of time allows us to integrate our experiences, both positive and negative, into a more cohesive whole.
Connecting the Themes: Rediscovery and Renewal
Both “After the Rain” and “Healing” explore the cyclical nature of loss and rediscovery, decay and renewal. “After the Rain” focuses on the active search for lost fragments of the past, while “Healing” emphasizes the passive process of natural restoration.
These poems offer a powerful meditation on the interconnectedness of the human experience with the natural world. They remind us that just as the earth continually renews itself, so too do we have the capacity for healing and rediscovery, both within ourselves and in the world around us.
Conclusion: The Enduring Power of Jared Carter’s Poetry
Jared Carter’s poetry resonates with readers because it speaks to universal human experiences: the desire to understand the past, the need for healing, and the constant interplay between loss and renewal. Through vivid imagery and carefully crafted language, Carter invites us to engage with these themes on a deeper level, reminding us of the enduring power of observation, perspective, and the natural world. His work encourages us to look closer, to question our assumptions, and to embrace the possibility of discovering something “glittering and strange” in the seemingly ordinary.