Crow Alights / Ted Hughes
ืขืืืื: 7 ืืืืื 2022
Crow Alights
Ted Hughes
Crow saw the herded mountains, steaming in the morning.
And he saw the sea
Dark-spined, with the whole earth in its coils.
He saw the stars, fuming away into the black, mushrooms of the
Nothing forest, clouding their spores, the virus of God.
He shivered with the horror of Creation.
In the hallucination of the horror
He saw this shoe, with no sole, rain-sodden,
Lying on a moor.
And there was this garbage can, bottom rusted away,
A playing place for the wind, in a waste of puddles.
There was this coat, in the dark cupboard, in the silent room,
In the silent house.
There was this face, smoking its cigarette between the dusk window
And the fire's embers.
Near the face, this hand, motionless.
Near the hand, this cup.
Crow blinked. He blinked. Nothing faded.
He stared at the evidence.
Nothing escaped him. (Nothing could escape).
ืขืืจื ืจึทื / ืื ืืึผื
ืขืึนืจึตื ืจึธืึธื ืึธืจึดืื ืจืึนืึฐืฆึดืื ืึผืึดืชึฐืึทืึผึดืื ืึผึฐืึถืึถื ืึผึนืงึถืจ.
ืึฐืึถืช ืึทืึผึธื ืจึธืึนื ืจึธืึธื.
ืึผึดืฉืึฐืืึนืจ ืฉืึดืึฐืจึธื ืจึทื, ืึผึธื ืึธืึธืจึถืฅ ืึถืจึถืฃ ืึผึตืื ืึฐืคึธืจึธืื.
ืจึธืึธื ืึทืึผืึนืึธืึดืื ืึผึธืึดืื, ืึผึธืึดืื ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึตืึธื, ืึถืช ืคึผึดืึฐืจึดืึผืึนืช
ืึทืขึฒืจืึนืช-ืึทืฉึผืึธืึฐื ืขืึนืึฐืคืึนืช ืึถืช ื ึดืึฐืึตืืึถื, ื ึฐืึดืืคึตื ืึธืึตื.
ืึฐืจึทืขึทื ืึผึฐืึตืึนื ืขึธืึทืจ ืึดืึผึดืจึฐืึธืชืึน ืึถืช ืึทืึผึฐืจึดืืึธื.
ืึผืึทืึฒืืึนื ืขึดืึผึฐืขึดืื ื ืึนืจึธื
ืจึธืึธื ืึถืช ืืึน ืึทื ึผึทืขึทื ืึทืึผึธืึธื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืืึผืึธื, ืึผึฐืึตืื ืึธืฉืืึนื,
ืืึผืึถืึถืช ืขึทื ืึฒืึทื ื ึดืจึฐืคึผึธืฉึน.
ืึธืึธื ืฉืึธื ืคึผึทื ืึทืฉืึฐืคึผึธื ืขึดื ืงึทืจึฐืงึทืขึดืืช ืงึฐืจืึผืขึธื,
ืึทืึผึฐืจึทืช ืึดืฉืึฐืึธืง ืึธืจืึผืึท ืึทื ึผืึนืฉืึถืึถืช ืึผึฐืขึทืจึฐืืึนืช ืึธืจึถืคึถืฉื.
ืึฐืฉืึธื ืึธืึธื ืึผึทื ืึทืึผึฐืขึดืื ืึทืึผึถื ืึผึฐืชืึนืึฐ ืึธืจืึนื ืึธืฉืืึผืึฐ
ืึผึฐืชืึนืึฐ ืงึดืืืึนื ืึผืึนืึตื ืึผึทืึผึทืึดืช ืึทืึผืึนืึตื
ืึธืึธื ืฉืึธื ืึถื ืึธืจึนืืฉื ืึผืึน ื ึฐืขืึผืฆึธื ืกึดืืึธืจึดืึผึธื ืขึฒืฉืึตื ึธื,
ืึผึตืื ืึทืฉึผืึฐืงึดืืขึธื ืฉืึถืึผึทืึทืึผืึนื ืึฐืึถืึธืึตื ืึธืึธื.
ืึผืึฐืึธืึธื ืึทืึผึธื ืึทืึนืืช ืืึผืึถืึถืช ืึผึฐืึดื ื ึดืื ืึธื ึดืืขึท.
ืึฐืึทื ืึทืึผึธื ืืึผื ึธื ืืึน ืึถื ืึทืกึผึตืคึถื.
ืึฐืึธืขืึนืจึตื ืึดืฆึฐืึตืฅ. ืึดืฆึฐืึตืฅ. ืึผึธืึธืจ ืึนื ืึดืชึฐื ึทืึผึตืฃ ืืึน.
ืืึผื ืึดืชึฐืึผืึนื ึตื ืึตืืึตื ืึผึฐืึธื ืึธืจึฐืึธืืึนืช.
ืฉืืึผื ืคึผึฐืจึธื ืึนื ื ึถืขึฑืึทื ืึดืึผึทืึผึธืืึน (ืึผึทื ืึนื ืึธืืึนื ืึธืึธื ืึฐืึตืขึธืึตื).
ืชืจืืื: ืืืื ืฉืืืจ
ืชืืื ื ืฉื ืืืงืืจ ืขืืจื ืืื ืืืจื-ืืื ืชืืื ื ืืืื ืืฉืฉ ืืคื ื ืืืืืช, ืจืื ืืืจืื ืืืฉืจ ืจืขืืช. ืืื, ืชืืื ืช ืืขืืจื ืืื ืืื ืฆืืจืืฃ ืฉื ืชืืื ืช ืืขืืจื ืืกืืคืืจ ืืืืื ืขื ืชืืื ืช ืืขืืจื ืฉื ืืืืจ ืืื ืคื. ื"ื ืคื ืื ืจืง ืืฉืคืืข ืจืืืช ืขื ืืืฉืืจืจืื ืืืืืืืื ืื ืืคืจืื, ืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืืช ืืืืืจื ืืื. ืืื ืืื ืื ืืืืืื ืฉื ืืกืืคืืจ ืืงืฆืจ ืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉื ืกืืคืืจ ืืืชื ืืื ืืื. ืืื ืืขืืจื ืื ืืื ืืขืื ืขื ืืคืืจืื ืืืจื ืื ืจืื ืขื ืืืืืืื ืจืืข ืืืืจ ืืืืืช, ืฉืึผื ืืื ืืกืจืช ืชื ืืขื, ืื ืืคื ืขืืืื ืขืฉึตื ื ืกืืืจืื ืฉืื ืืืชื. ืืืฉืืจืจ, ืืื ืืขืืจื, ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืืืคืืชืชื, ืืขืื ื ืจืืื ืืืื "ืืืื ืืืืชื".
ืืืืื ื ืืืข ืืกืืคืจ ืืืจืืื ืืจืชืืจ ืงืื ื ืืืื, ืืืืจื ืฉื ืืกืคืจ "ืืืื ืฉื ืื ื ืืกืงืจืืืื" (ืฉืชืืจืื ืขื-ืืื ืจืืืฉ, ืฉืืฉืคืขืช "ืืขืืจื" ืฉื ื"ื ืคื ืขืืื ืืื ืื ืืืคืืจืกืืืช) ืืชืืืืจื ื-moors ืฉืื, ืขืจืืืช ืืจืคืฉ ืืื ืืืืืช, ืฉืฉืืืื ืืื ืขืืื ืืขืจืคืืืื ืืืกืื ืืืชื (ืืึผื ืืฉืชืืฉ ืืืืื "waste", ืืขืงืืืช ื-"Waste Land" ืฉื ืช"ืก ืืืืื). ืืึผื ืืืคื ืืช ืืขืืจื ืฉืื ืืืืฉ ืฉืื ืืืงืืจ ืืงืจื ืืืืช ืืกืชืืจื, ืืฉืืื ืืชืืื ื ืืื ืืจืืืืช ืืืืจ ืื ื ืขืื ืืขืื ืื. ืืฉ ืืื ืฉืืืื ืฉื ืืืฉ ืคืืชืจ ืชืขืืืืืช ืืฉื ื ืืื, ืืจืืื ืืจืืืช ืกืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืฉืืืข ื ืืืืช ืืขื.
ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืขืืจื ืืฉ ืื ืงืืืื ืืืืืชื ืฉื ืืืฉืืจืจ ืื ืืื ืขืฆืื, ืื ืืืจ ืืืจืืืช ืืืืืชื ืืืฉืืืืื: ืืจืื ื-moors ืืืืืจ ืื, ืื ืืกืชื, ืืช ืืืฆืืช ืืืจืงืฉืืืจ, ืฉื ืืื. ืืจืื ืื ืขื ืืืื ืืืืืืงืขืช ืืืืืจ ืื, ืื ืืกืชื, ืืช ืืงืฆืืขื ืื ืืึผืช ืฉื ืืืื โ ืฉืืื ืืชืืืืช ืืจืื ืกื ืืืจ, ืืืืงืฃ ืื ืขืืืื ืืืืช, ืืกืจืืช ืกืืืื. ืืชืืจื ืืช ืื ืขื ืืืืืื ("this shoe, with no sole"), ืืื ืืฉืชืืฉ ืืื ืืืฉืืง ืืืืื ืฉืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืชืจืืื: ื ืขื ืืื ืกืืืื ืืืื ื ืฉืื (soul). ืฉืืงืกืคืืจ ืืฉืชืืฉ ืืืฉืืง ืืืืื ืื ืืชืืื ื ืืจืืฉืื ื ืฉื ืืืืื "ืืืืืืก ืงืืกืจ", ืฉืื ืืขืื ืืจืฆืขื ืขื ืขืฆืื ืฉืืื ืืชืงื ืกืืืืืช (ื ืฉืืืช) ืคืืืืืช ืืืืฉืืชืืช. ืืื ืขื ืืื ื ืืืคืฅ ืืืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืชืืชืืช: ืื ืขื ืืื ืกืืืื ืืืคื ืืื ืงืจืงืขืืช. ืืฉืืข, ืืขืืื ืืื ื ืืฆืื: ืืืื ื ืืื ืืืชืคืืจืจ.
ืืฉืืงื ืฆืืื (cup-[es]cape)
Crow-sawืืจืืฉื ืคื ืืืืช
ืขื ืกืืืื ืืืืจืื ืืืจ"ื trodden, ืืืื ืืื sodden
ืืืืืจืฆืืืช saw the sea; saw the stars ; playing place for the wind, in a waste of puddles (waste ืืืื ืืื ืฉื ืืื ืืฉื ืฉืืื, ืืื ื"waste land " ืฉื ืช"ืก ืืืืื
ืืฉ ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืงืกืืืืจืื ื ืืจืืฃ ืืื ืืชืคืืฉื ืืืืชืืช ืืืืืืืช ืฉื ืืขืืจื ืืกืืคืืจ ืืืืื, ืืืืืช ืืจืืฉืืช, ืืืื ืืชืคืืฉื ืืืื-ืืืืืช, ืืื-ืงื ืื ืืช, ืฉืื, ืืกืืคืืจื ืืืืฉืื "ืื ืืืชืื".
ืืฉ ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืงืกืืืืจืื ื ืืจืืฃ ืืื ืืชืคืืฉื ืฉื ืืขืืจื ืืืืฉ-ืจืขืืช, ืืขื ืขื ืืคืืจืื, ืืืื ืืืงืืจ ืืืืฉ, ืฉืื ืืืืจ ืืืืืช ืืืืื ืขืืืืืช ืืืืคืฉ ืจืึธืืืช.
ืืืชืจ ืื ืืื ืืืื ืืจื ื ืืฉ ืืืืจ ืืืช ื ืืื ืขืืื (Nadeem Azam), ืฉืื ืืื ืืชืืจืช ืืืชื ืืจืืฆื (ืื ืฉืชื ื ืฉืืชืื ืืชืืืื ืืชืื ืฉืฉ ืฉื ืื), ืืืืขื ืช ืฉืืืืจ ืืฆืืืง ืืงืืจื (investigation), ืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืืชืืืืจ ืืืืื. ืืืื ืืืื ืชืฉืืืชื ืฉื ืื ืืื: ืืฉ ืืื ืืงืืจื ืืืฉืืช, ืืืืืฉ ืืื ืขืืจื ืืืฉืจ ืจืขืืช. ืืื ืืื ืื ืืื ืกืคืจ ืคืจืืื ืขื ืจืฆื.
This nightmare of unending carnage and suffering animates every level of
the poet's mind. It is one reason why Crow "shivered with the horror of
Creation" after the Creation, just as, toward the end of the book, it
makes him foresee a ghastly mating-scene between two mutations,
survivors of the bomb, who "seem to be eating each other."
Among British poets, Hughes is the most haunted inheritor, from Wilfred
Owen and Robert Graves, of the sensibility shaped by the appalling
slaughter in World War I. His father was gassed in the trenches in that
war; growing up in its aftermath, Hughes has come to see the cosmos as
a battlefield. His is the world-view of a betrayed Fundamentalist, who,
discovering that God has no care for man's fate, understands the
universe to be governed not by divine love but by power. In Hughes's
earlier books, Nature appeared as a field of violent struggle where only
the fittest survived. Such Darwinian determinism required its own
unforgiving theology. These views of life are not meliorated in Crow. With
a startling, composite myth, Hughes explores our fate in such a universe.
Crow's life is a harrowing series of combats. He becomes Heracles,
wrestling Proteus the shape-changer. He becomes St. George also, and
the dragon is his monstrous nightmare. He "followed Ulysses till he turned
/ As a worm, which Crow ate"; "Drinking Beowulf's blood, and wrapped in
his hide, / Crow communes with poltergeists out of old ponds." Not
surprisingly (since Hughes has adapted Seneca's "Oedipus" for Peter
Brook), Crow becomes Oedipus in several poems, and in a ballad sings of
him:
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As these quotations suggest, Hughes's style is direct and violent, a plain
style for an Apocalypse. He uses simple, repetitive rhetorical patterns like
those in primitive incantations. He also adopts the surrealists' simulations
of dream-linkages, in which madly dissimilar objects rattle around in the
poem. Hughes's violent images are often in danger of centripetal
dissolution, a danger not always avoided in Crow. When objects are used
with insufficient conviction of their identity as themselves, there results
an indulgent, arbitrary violence which obscures rather than dramatizes
the theme, as in "Criminal Balled" and the middle lines of "Crow and
Mama."