Explication of Mary Oliver’s “The Black Snake” - 1144 Words

In Mary Oliver’s poem â€Å"The Black Snake,† the narrator contemplates the cycle of life with the unpredictability of death. Mary Oliver’s work is â€Å"known for its natural themes and a continual affirmation of nature as a place of mystery and spirituality that holds the power to teach humans how to value one’s life and one’s place† (Riley). In the poem, The Black Snake, the narrator witnesses a black snake hit by a truck and killed on a road one morning. Feeling sympathy for the snake, the narrator stops, and removes the dead snake from the road. Noting the snake’s beauty, the narrator carries it from the road to some nearby bushes. Continuing to drive, the narrator reflects on how the abruptness of death ultimately revealed how the†¦show more content†¦The truck was the cause of the snake’s demise. That is how death happens. The snake symbolizes death as dark and evil. The second begins with â€Å"Now, he l ies looped and useless† (5). Beginning with â€Å"when† and progressing to â€Å"now†, the poet is suggesting a cause and effect philosophy. The snake quickly flashed across the road, but after being hit by the truck, lies â€Å"useless† in the road. The poet has given the snake a male identity. The narrator describes the snake as â€Å"an old bicycle tire† (6). The poet uses this technique of imagery to portray the now lifeless snake, as an old rubbery tire tube. The narrator reads â€Å"I stop the car† (7). This conveys that the narrator is an observer, and telling the story from a third person point of view. The narrator feels some sort of remorse or sympathy for the snake, removes him from the road, and carries â€Å"him into the bushes† (8). The poet uses â€Å"bushes† to indicate where the snake is taken to, and hidden or out of sight of the road. The third stanza describes the snake as â€Å"cool and gleaming as a braided whip† (9-10). Describing the snake as a braided whip demonstrates the intricate woven pattern of the snake’s scales and the poet’s appreciation for nature and its’ beauty. The snake is not a useless piece of rubber, but a beautiful and vibrant part of nature. â€Å"He is as beautiful and quiet as a bead brother† (10-11). The snake is quiet, makes no sound, and snuggles into