Tear it Down

"The Great Fires" by Jack Gilbert (1994)

Published in the same collection as “Tear It Down,” “The Great Fires” (1994) is another poem filled with Gilbert’s trademark declarative voice, concise style, and stacked metaphors. In “The Great Fires,” Gilbert explores themes of love and passion, and, similar to “Tear It Down,” touches on how the physical body can break through to the metaphysical spirit.

"Failing and Flying" by Jack Gilbert (2005)

From Refusing Heaven (2005), “Failing and Flying” offers Gilbert’s perspective on the decline of his relationship with his first wife, Linda Gregg. Despite the conclusion of their relationship, Gilbert challenges the idea that the marriage failed and proposes a celebratory perspective: It simply came to the end of its “triumph.” “Failing and Flying” is another of Gilbert’s works that delves into themes of love and loss, diverting from the traditional outlook and offering a grateful view of even the most negative of human experiences.

"Summer at Blue Creek, North Carolina" by Jack Gilbert (2009)

Printed in The Dance Most of All (2009), “Summer at Blue Creek, North Carolina” exhibits the fracture between memory and identity. Recalling time spent at his grandfather’s as a boy, as an old man Gilbert is unable to connect with the self of his youth. These themes are more prominent in the poet’s later work, allowing readers to glimpse how his ruminations shift over time—a very humanistic quality everyone endures to some degree.