Poem Analysis - The Harbor

Initial Impression and Tone

The poem The Harbor by Carl Sandburg presents a stark contrast between urban poverty and natural beauty. The tone shifts from somber and despairing to one of liberation and freedom. The poem begins with a grim depiction of urban life, characterized by hunger and despair, but transitions to a scene of natural splendor and freedom. This shift highlights the poet's journey from a bleak, oppressive environment to a place of openness and vitality.

Themes of Poverty and Freedom

The poem explores several themes, including the stark contrast between poverty and freedom. The initial stanzas describe a scene of urban decay and hunger, with women looking out from doorways with eyes and hands that are haunted by hunger. This imagery underscores the theme of poverty and the struggle for survival in an urban setting. The phrase hunger-deep eyes and hunger-hands vividly conveys the depth of deprivation experienced by the inhabitants. The use of the word huddled and ugly walls further emphasizes the bleak and oppressive nature of the environment.

The theme of freedom is introduced as the speaker moves from the city's edge to a natural setting. The description of the lake and the gulls flying freely in the open sky contrasts sharply with the earlier depiction of urban life. The words blue burst of lake, long lake waves breaking under the sun, and spray-flung curve of shore evoke a sense of expansiveness and natural beauty. The fluttering storm of gulls, with their great gray wings and flying white bellies, symbolizes freedom and liberation from the constraints of the urban environment. The phrase veering and wheeling free in the open reinforces the theme of freedom and the contrast between the natural world and the urban setting.

Symbolism of the Harbor

The harbor serves as a powerful symbol in the poem, representing a transition from confinement to freedom. The city's edge marks the boundary between the oppressive urban environment and the liberating natural world. The lake and the gulls symbolize the freedom and openness that the speaker finds outside the city. The imagery of the gulls flying freely in the open sky contrasts with the confined and hungry existence of the urban dwellers. The harbor, therefore, becomes a place of escape and liberation, where the speaker can experience a sense of freedom and natural beauty.

The gulls are particularly significant as symbols of freedom. Their great gray wings and flying white bellies evoke a sense of grace and liberty. The phrase veering and wheeling free in the open emphasizes their unrestricted movement and contrasts with the confined and hungry existence of the urban dwellers. The gulls' flight can be seen as a metaphor for the speaker's own journey from confinement to freedom, highlighting the transformative power of nature.

Conclusion

The Harbor by Carl Sandburg effectively contrasts the themes of poverty and freedom through vivid imagery and symbolism. The poem's shift from a grim urban setting to a scene of natural beauty underscores the speaker's journey from confinement to liberation. The harbor serves as a powerful symbol of this transition, representing a place of escape and freedom. The gulls, with their unrestricted flight, embody the theme of freedom and contrast with the confined and hungry existence of the urban dwellers. Ultimately, the poem highlights the transformative power of nature and the possibility of finding liberation in the natural world.