Charles Olson's "The Kingfishers" is a complex meditation on change, inspired by the ruins of an Aztec burial ground. Through this poem, Olson introduces a bold new style that abandons traditional poetic structures in favor of a dynamic and fragmented progression of ideas. Rather than adhering to conventional rhyme schemes or metrical patterns, the poem explores change through a series of diverse stanzaic units, each contributing to a broader unifying theme.

Heraclitus and The Party Scene

The poem opens with an allusion to Heraclitus, the early Greek philosopher who famously stated that change is the only constant. Olson emphasizes the deliberate nature of change, setting the stage for the poem’s exploration. This philosophical reflection transitions abruptly to a party in decline in Mexico, near the ancient Aztec city, likely Tenochtitlán. Here, a man laments the deterioration of Mexican culture, symbolizing a broader descent into entropy with his remark, "The pool is slime," before vanishing into the ruins. This scene initiates the first of three parts, each examining the poet's role in capturing the fluid reality of existence.

Part 1: Movement and Juxtaposition

The first and longest part of the poem is divided into four movements. The initial movement employs a 'jump-cut' technique, juxtaposing disparate elements to depict the fluidity of events without traditional transitions. Following this, the second movement connects three distinct topics that converge on a deeper theme of change. First is the enigmatic E on the stone, referencing Plutarch’s ancient writings about the omphalos at Delphi. Next, Olson draws on Mao Tse-tung’s 1948 speech before the Chinese Communist Party, symbolizing pivotal change in China’s history. Finally, a technical description of the kingfisher bird, sourced from the Encyclopædia Britannica, serves as a natural symbol of unity amid change. Together, these elements illustrate change as a constant force transcending human civilization.

Violence and Human History

The third movement addresses human aggression and the historical conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés in 1517. Olson quotes from William H. Prescott’s History of The Conquest of Mexico, which details the treasures seized by Cortés, including intricate gold embroideries of birds reminiscent of the culturally significant quetzal. He equates the Mexican quetzal to the kingfisher, drawing parallels between Aztec and Amerindian cultures. Olson reflects on the persistent theme of war, linking the Spanish conquest to contemporary conflicts like the Korean War, suggesting a cyclical nature of human violence.

The Principle of Change

The final movement of part 1 elevates the discussion to a philosophical principle: all things are subject to change and development. While change pervades nature, it defies human control or abstraction, emphasizing the inherent unpredictability of existence.

Part 2: A Fugue of Elements

In part 2, the poem shifts to a fugue combining the insights of the first part. It starts amidst a guided tour of an Aztec burial ground, where partially excavated mounds house remains predating Cortés’s conquest. The imagery of a figure in the grave parallels the young kingfisher in its nest, establishing a symbolic link. Mao’s call to action weaves through the narrative, contrasting human attempts at order with the enduring laws of nature. The tour guide pauses to appreciate a yellow rose and the setting sun, symbols of unity and transcendence amid chaos.

Part 3: Renouncing Western Tradition

The poem’s final section acts as a coda, synthesizing its themes into a resolution. The poet renounces the violent legacy of Western civilization, tracing its roots to Greek and Roman traditions. Olson finds solidarity with rebel poets like Arthur Rimbaud, who also abandoned Western norms to seek new frontiers. Quoting Rimbaud’s Une Saison en enfer , Olson affirms...

Charles Olson's poetry demands both visual and intellectual engagement, as it intertwines the movement of thought with the arrangement of words. His approach, described as "projective," aims to project the mental process of creating a poem onto the page, capturing the intricate movements of memory and association that fuel the poetic discourse. This kinetic approach reflects cinematic techniques, utilizing dramatic shifts and dynamic framing to articulate thought and expression.

The Ideogrammatic Structure

Olson's work is often likened to an extended "ideogram," a concept coined by Ezra Pound to describe the elemental relationships that unify a poem's language. This structure challenges readers to perceive the connections within the poem's diverse elements, much like discerning the complex latticework of a snowflake. Each fragment of the poem contributes to a cohesive understanding, requiring readers to grasp how these parts coalesce into a singular, illuminating insight.

Exploration of Open Forms

Olson's poetry explores a variety of open forms, transitioning from prosaic strophes to rhythms inspired by historical figures like Mao, and further into passages where the rhythm accelerates dramatically. These shifting forms mirror the poem's narrative tension, suggesting moments when thought encounters resistance or emerges through conflict. The poem's culmination, or coda, visually resolves these tensions, achieving balance through quatrains that guide the reader to the poet's declaration, "I hunt among stones."

Stylistic Conventions and Motifs

Stylistically, Olson adheres to conventional verse techniques, employing recurring tropes such as the kingfisher motif, which recurs through each section of the first part. Another prominent motif is the sun, representing cycles of dawn and sunset, decay, and renewal. The poem's language is marked by its clarity and economy, achieved through aphorisms and formal parallels, culminating in powerful assertions that range from scientific objectivity to deeply personal revelations.

Olson's "The Kingfishers" exemplifies a complex interplay of form and technique, requiring readers to engage with its visual and thematic elements actively. Through its cinematic qualities, ideogrammatic structure, exploration of open forms, and rich stylistic motifs, the poem invites a deep exploration of the interconnectedness of language, thought, and perception.