Cuttings (Later) by Theodore Roethke
"Cuttings (Later)" is a poem by Theodore Roethke that explores the intricate relationship between humans and the plant world through vivid imagery and emotional depth. Central to the poem is Roethke's depiction of discarded cuttings from a greenhouse that refuse to die, symbolizing resilience and the potential for renewal even in the face of adversity. This connection to the natural world transcends mere observation, evolving into a spiritual experience that reflects Roethke's personal struggles and growth.
The poem draws parallels between the "struggling" plants and suffering saints, emphasizing a shared journey of endurance and transformation. Roethke's identification with these plants suggests that personal growth often arises from hardship and hardship's aftermath. Furthermore, the incorporation of motifs such as fish and themes of birth encapsulates the duality of creation—both wondrous and daunting. Overall, "Cuttings (Later)" invites readers to contemplate the interconnectedness of life, the inevitability of change, and the complex emotions associated with growth and rebirth.
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Cuttings (Later) by Theodore Roethke
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1948 (collected in The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, 1966)
Type of work: Poem
The Work
This poem, one of the most frequently reprinted of the “greenhouse” series, shows Roethke’s close attention to the plant world and his identification with it. His sense of unity with the rest of life transcends the ordinary and becomes a spiritual experience, while at the same time remaining grounded in everyday reality. The highly emotional poem is also written using a style and themes that could only be Roethke’s.
As in “Root Cellar,” the discarded cuttings from the greenhouse refuse to die, putting forth new shoots and roots although they are only the mutilated parts of other plants. When Roethke compares the “struggling” plants to tortured saints trying to return to their religious battles, the spiritual connection between the human and vegetable world is established. It is made more definite in the second verse paragraph, in which the poet himself identifies with the chopped up, but still living, plants. He implies that his growth also comes as a result of a long struggle, for it has come “at last.” The last two lines introduce a familiar motif, fish, with which Roethke was fascinated for a number of reasons (one of which was their ability to thrive in a mysterious other world which humans can only visit), and a familiar theme, birth (“sheath-wet”) combined with fear (“I quail”). Birth, the inevitable result of the struggle for life, must happen, but it is terrifying for the new creature to be thrust into the living world.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. Theodore Roethke. New York: Chelsea House, 1988.
Bogen, Don. Theodore Roethke and the Writing Process. Athens: Ohio University Press, 1991.
Bowers, Neal. Theodore Roethke: The Journey from I to Otherwise. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1982.
Kalaidjian, Walter B. Understanding Theodore Roethke. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1987.
Kusch, Robert. My Toughest Mentor: Theodore Roethke and William Carlos Williams (1940-1948). Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 1999.
Malkoff, Karl. Theodore Roethke: An Introduction to the Poetry. New York: Columbia University Press, 1966.
Seager, Allan. The Glass House: The Life of Theodore Roethke. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1968.
Stiffler, Randall. Theodore Roethke: The Poet and His Critics. Chicago: American Library Association, 1986.
Wolff, George. Theodore Roethke. Boston: Twayne, 1981.