Poem Analysis - The Moon Is The Tongue

A Revolutionary's Conflicted Song

Sergei Yesenin's "The Moon Is The Tongue" is a short, powerful poem brimming with revolutionary fervor and unsettling contradictions. It presents a speaker deeply aligned with Bolshevik ideals, yet the poem's imagery and celebratory tone are punctuated by a strange, almost violent undercurrent. The poem shifts from declarations of brotherhood and praise for progress to imagery of destruction and a strange gratitude for death, creating a complex and ultimately ambiguous message. It's a song both hopeful and unsettling, a testament to the turbulent times in which it was written.

Historical Echoes of Revolution

Yesenin lived through the tumultuous period of the Russian Revolution, and his work often reflects the social and political upheaval of the time. As the poem declares the speaker as a Bolshevik, this immediately puts the text within the historical context of Russia after the 1917 revolution and the sweeping social changes. The "universal brotherhood of man" directly reflects the socialist ideals that fueled the revolution. Recognizing the tumultuous and violent atmosphere of the revolution, the "death" alluded to in the poem could represent the removal of the old aristocracy and the casualties of the revolution.

Brotherhood and the Shadow of Death

One primary theme explored in this poem is the idea of universal brotherhood. The speaker emphatically declares, "Hail the universal / Brotherhood of man!" This suggests a vision of equality and unity, a central tenet of Bolshevik ideology. However, this theme is juxtaposed against a darker current: the speaker's "thank[s]" given "for your death." This contradictory sentiment creates tension and complicates the poem's message. The poem also explores the theme of destruction and creation, exemplified by the image of striking the "blue bell of heaven" with the moon to hasten the doom. This symbolic act suggests that the old world must be destroyed to create the new. Finally, we see the theme of patriotic devotion in the lines, "The homeland's my mother / A Bolshevik am I." The speaker identifies their loyalty both to their country and to the revolutionary cause, intertwining personal identity with political allegiance.

Symbolic Violence and Celestial Imagery

The poem is rich in symbolic imagery. The "moon" acts as a key symbol, presented initially as the "tongue / In the bell of the sky." This unusual image could symbolize a voice or message emanating from the heavens, or perhaps the revolution speaking through the cosmos. However, the moon also becomes an instrument of destruction when the speaker uses it to "strike" the "blue bell of heaven." This suggests a violent rejection of traditional or religious values in favor of the revolutionary cause. The image of the "blue bell of heaven" can be interpreted as the established order, the church, or the old way of life, which the Bolsheviks sought to dismantle. The poem also personifies Russia as "the homeland's my mother" which emphasizes the strong personal connection between the speaker and their country. The last stanza introduces "mist" representing perhaps the confusion and uncertainty during this period, however, the speaker proclaims that through it they hear "wonderful news."

Ambiguous Celebration and Enduring Significance

In conclusion, "The Moon Is The Tongue" is a complex and powerful poem that captures the fervor and contradictions of the Russian Revolution. While the speaker champions the ideals of brotherhood and progress, the poem is also filled with unsettling imagery of violence and destruction. The ambiguity surrounding the "death" for which the speaker gives thanks leaves the reader with questions about the true cost of revolution and the potential for violence inherent in even the most idealistic movements. Does the poem celebrate the dawn of a new era, or does it foreshadow the dark side of revolution? This open-ended question invites further reflection on the lasting legacy of the Russian Revolution and its impact on the human spirit.