Exploring the Lingering Presence: An Analysis of Remains
Remains, a poem by Simon Armitage, tells of the unearthing of a corpse that has remained hidden for years. The poem uncovers the persistent presence of the past, and the ways in which it shapes and haunts the present. Through an examination of the language and imagery of the poem, this essay seeks to reveal the complexities and nuances of this lingering presence that is ever-present in our lives.
The Persistence of Time
The opening lines of Remains set the tone for the themes of the poem. The poem opens with the speaker recounting a dream in which he watches a man drown. The dream is significant because it illustrates the persistence of time. The image of the drowning man, and the way in which time seems to stand still as he struggles for air, represents the way in which the past continues to exert its influence in the present, even when it seems long gone.
This idea is further developed in the poem as the speaker begins to describe the remains that are unearthed. The corpse, though long dead, is preserved by time and space. This preservation gives the dead man a physical solidity that makes him appear almost alive. However, as the speaker notes, this solidity is deceptive, for the man is in fact “a hole of a man,” a nothingness that is only given shape by the dirt that surrounds him.
The Fragility of Memory
As the poem progresses, the speaker describes the ways in which the corpse has been preserved. The corpse is “preserved under layers of fat / Grease, hair, fingernails”. These details are powerful in that they suggest a kind of fragility to the act of memory. The layers that preserve the corpse are the same layers that muffle the memories of the past. The past is like the layers of skin and hair that surround the corpse, both fragile and powerful.
The speaker also notes the way in which the corpse is “smashed and dug-up”, as though the violence of unearthing it has shattered the fragile layers of memory that surround it. The imagery here suggests a certain sense of brutality, as though the act of remembering is itself a kind of violence that destroys the very thing it seeks to preserve.
The Lingering Presence of the Past
The final lines of the poem provide a powerful conclusion to the discussion of memory and time that has been unfolding since the beginning. The speaker suggests that despite the violence of unearthing the corpse and the fragility of memory, the past remains. The corpse is a reminder of this persistence, but the speaker notes that it is not the only one.
The final lines of the poem suggest that the past is ever-present, lurking in the shadows like a specter that can never be fully banished. The speaker notes that the man in the dream, the one who drowned, is still there, beneath the surface of the water. His presence is felt, but it cannot be fully seen. Likewise, the remains that are unearthed are a reminder of something that can never be fully understood or exorcised.
In conclusion, Remains is a powerful exploration of the lingering presence of the past. Through an examination of time, memory, and the fragility of both, Armitage suggests that the past is something that can never be fully forgotten or erased. Instead, it is a presence that lingers in the shadows, haunting us always. The power of the poem lies in its ability to make us aware of this presence, and to remind us of the importance of remembering where we come from, even as we move forward into the future.
