Citation: "Carmel Point" by Robinson Jeffers -pg.413
Carmel Point is a short poem by Robinson Jeffers that highlights human destruction and environmental impacts on the coastal city of Carmel in Southern California. The poem itself doesn't have a characterizing rhyme or rhythm, but I believe it's choppiness adds to the idea that humans are destructive beings. A once harmonious and beautiful environment is getting covered and used up by humanity. He even says that before colonizing, Carmel was pristine; untouched by man. Vast landscapes of flowers are now "defaced with a crop of suburban houses"
Metaphor: Jeffers compares humanity to a tide. It comes and goes. This compares also to the first line "The extraordinary patience of things" as it seems that nature hasn't negatively rebounded on us yet. With all the harm we are doing, Jeffers remains hopeful that it will balance out.
Moral: the take away of this poem is blatantly stated by the author in the last three lines.
"We must uncenter our minds from ourselves;
We must unhumanize our views a little, and become confident..."
The author wants people to become less selfish and to realize the impacts of their actions. He wants humanity to notice how beautiful our environment was and how the beauty is in the products we make if we truly look into it and value it... "the image of pristine beauty lives in the very grain of the granite" It's almost a call to action, notice the beauty you were given and protect it.
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