Joseph Brodsky’s poetry and essays are deeply entrenched in the exploration of time. They unveil a recurring obsession with endings that illuminate the moments that precede them, providing a new depth of understanding. His work represents a transcendental record of time, where clocks stop, fires die, and yet, moments retain their significance even in silence and darkness.

The Nature of Time in Brodsky’s Poetry

Joseph Brodsky described his poetry as preoccupied with the "nature of time," a theme that frequently appears in his essays too. In works dating back to before his 1964 exile to Arkhangel’sk, Brodsky fixates on concluding moments that shine a sudden new light on all preceding events. This outlook on time is more transcendental than teleological, with Brodsky as a watcher and listener rather than a participant and speaker. In his 1962 poem, "Ogon’, ty slyshish’..." (“The Fire Is Dying Down”), the poet observes the changes in a room and objects as marked by the fire's dying glow. The sense of time halting is so profound that even the clock hands seem to disappear, and yet, the fire's brightness lingers, illuminating not the poet’s eyes but the room itself as darkness encroaches.

Exploring Endings in "Sonnet"

Brodsky's 1962 "Sonet" (“Sonnet”) examines a moment defined by a different type of ending. The poem envisions a catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius, where the poet hopes to be found embraced with a loved one, preserved by the enveloping ash. This moment halts time, with the embrace and ash both serving as preservation against decay. The poem reflects the duality of destruction and preservation, with its structure mirroring this by dividing thoughts into even-paced lines without enjambments or rhyme. The sonnet's experimental nature lies in its varied metric feet, challenging the conventions of timing to depict how time can be manipulated through poetic form.

Wit and Ironic Distance

Brodsky’s poetry balances tender lyrics with verses of ironic distance and wit. In "Pamiatnik" (“Monument”), he begins with tones that are serious yet mocking, eventually culminating in sarcasm. The poem indicts monument building in a hypocritical society with its final line: "Let’s build a monument to lies.” In "Dva chasa v rezervuare" (“Two Hours in a Reservoir”), Brodsky’s monologue uses multiple languages, referencing figures like Faust and Goethe, as it frantically ponders themes of mortality and time. This frenetic pace and humor highlight Brodsky's continued preoccupation with the inexorable passage of time, a theme recurring in other works like "Odnoi poetesse" (“To a Certain Poetess”) and "Aeneas i Dido" (“Aeneas and Dido”), where parting is poignantly captured by vivid imagery.

"Aeneas and Dido": Myth and Parting

“Aeneas and Dido” encapsulates the end of a myth, with a memorable picture of Dido watching Aeneas as he prepares to leave her. Windows frequently frame the landscapes in Brodsky’s poems, offering a conceptual framework to explore time. Indeed, Brodsky often ties his poems to specific times and places, such as “Zimnim vecherom v Ialte” (“A Winter Evening in Yalta”) and “Dekabr’ vo Florentsii” (“December in Florence”). These settings weave time with space, providing a backdrop for his exploration of how time affects individuals.

Interiors and Landscapes

Brodsky’s settings are intimate, often interiors serving as a microcosm of the world outside. In "Sumev otgorodit’sia..." (“Now that I’ve walled myself off from the world”), the poet’s self-reflection is framed by mirrors and windows. Despite seeking boundaries, Brodsky's poems allow spaces and periods to interweave, pressing him further in his quest for self-definition. His landscapes breathe of homesickness, with no place immune from his longing. From Arkhangl’sk to Venice, Brodsky describes various scenes, yet remains at odds with each,...