Appreciation of Will Alexander’s poem ’The pointless nether plow’

 Appreciation of Will Alexander’s poem ’The pointless nether plow’

 

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-pointless-nether-plow/

 

I request the readers to read the poem first from the link above and then only my review. Thanks.

 

Will Alexander opens the poem with an imaginary metaphor.  A different Sun system which is inclement. Figuratively the scenario is crowded with deformed or broken or sober ones. The farming land is compressed. The farmer is like an adder among vipers in comparison with people of other professions. Nether beast is colloquially a person with serious issues in performing sex. This different Sun system was preceded by the fall of burnt out stars that left stellar debris. May be the poet meant some planets that burst into pieces too. The visualization is of a whole new system which does not enjoy the benefit of the Sun that gives warmth and light mostly, excepting the winters. The farmer symbolizes the mankind which struggles after the crash of the old system of unscientific religious minded lot. But the new system lacks the guarantees of a god fearing majority. The extinction of the old system has left some seeds for the thought and action of the whole new generation. The deformed fruits that are harvested raises a question whether the plow is a misfit. The need is to change the pointless nether plow. Farming symbolizes the life of a generation of old school of thought and beliefs. The generation pans to a few centuries as in the poem.

 

The poet is a nonconformist; nonetheless he finds a change that is like a completely different Sun System. He subtly indicates the generation that embraced the change is clueless about what would be the new plow like. Does this new system have room for merit, leadership, talent and skills, aspiration, competitiveness with equal space for inclusiveness and human values? Is this generation clueless how to make all these coexist? If the world has changed into more modern, scientific and progressive is not the old plow pointless? Nevertheless, are we clear about how a pointed plow suitable for the modern farm would be like?

 

In the sequel I would discuss what I understood from an interview of the poet on poetry. His outlook to the modern world and his mention of the two poets whose poems bordered on metaphysics helped me appreciate this poem.