Summary for the poem Listening to Myself by AL.Purdy

Listening to Myself

-Al. Purdy

Alfred Wellington Purdy was  a 20^th century Canadian free verse poet. He has been called the nation’s “ Unofficial poet laureate”. This poem is about the speaker listening to himself.

The poet is listening to himself to the voice of his own country Canada. The poet hopes that his past will rekindle the mind of the people by increasing their will to survive in Canada. He recollects his past “ See myself staggering through deep snow”. He depicts himself claiming that he is a old and weak man. The speaker seems to be looking at himself from different angles. He sees “white hair-wrinkled face and hands”. The old man seems to be ugly and useless.

The old man loves his land. His love for the land is ridiculous to hear because the land is too harsh and unforgiving. He looks like a foolish man for loving such a hostile land. The old man realizes the truth behind his love for the land, that it is not the physical strength helped him to survive, instead it is the fire (mind) which helped him to survive.

The poet realizes that the past cannot be brought back and therefore wants to celebrate the loss of a way of life through his poetry. The mood of the poem is sad. The poem takes place during winter and there is snow on the ground.