Never Again The Same - A poem by James Tate

James Tate - Never Again The Same

Speaking of sunsets,
last night's was shocking.
I mean, sunsets aren't supposed to frighten you, are they?
Well, this one was terrifying.
Sure, it was beautiful, but far too beautiful. 
It wasn't natural.
One climax followed another and then another
until your knees went weak 
and you couldn't breathe.
The colors were definitely not of this world,
peaches dripping opium,
pandemonium of tangerines,
inferno of irises,
Plutonian emeralds,
all swirling and churning, swabbing, 
like it was playing with us,
like we were nothing,
as if our whole lives were a preparation for this, 
this for which nothing could have prepared us 
and for which we could not have been less prepared.
The mockery of it all stung us bitterly.
And when it was finally over
we whimpered and cried and howled.
And then the streetlights came on as always 
and we looked into one another's eyes--
ancient caves with still pools
and those little transparent fish
who have never seen even one ray of light.
And the calm that returned to us
was not even our own.

Added: on January 5th, 2006 at 11:04 PM | Viewed: 6807 times | Comments and analysis of Never Again The Same by James Tate Comments (6)

Never Again The Same - Comments and Information
Poet: James Tate Poem: Never Again The Same Poem of the Day: Oct 30 2000 Comment 6 of 6, added on December 10th, 2006 at 5:28 AM. The use of language here to actually describe man's relationship to a nature that exists beyond language is magical. Nature becomes un-natural. If perceived as the force that contains us but is not us the universe outside of language is virtually oppressive in its foreigness. I think Tate and Munch shared a moment. john payne from United States Comment 5 of 6, added on April 10th, 2006 at 4:53 PM. I've seen many sunsets and this is the only poem That captures moments and feelings of those special unique settings, put together in way that makes you want to watch a sunset right now! to hopefully catch that once in a lifetime inner change sunset james speaks of. Waylon Joe from United States Comment 4 of 6, added on January 5th, 2006 at 11:04 PM. I'm not to big on poetry, but this is amazing. Forrest from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Never Again The Same, has received 6 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by James Tate with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: James Tate Poem: Never Again The Same Last read: May 13 2008, 11:07PM Poem of the Day: Oct 30 2000 Viewed 6807 times. Added on January 5th, 2006 at 11:04 PM.

Tate Info
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