Podcast Summary: Episode 1257 - "Time || Immemorial" by Daniel Simon

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Host: Major Jackson
Release Date: December 10, 2024
Produced by: APM Studios in partnership with The Poetry Foundation
Supported by: National Endowment for the Arts

1. Introduction

In episode 1257 of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, host Major Jackson delves into the profound impact of significant historical events on our collective consciousness, using poetry as a medium for reflection and understanding. The episode features Daniel Simon's poignant poem "Time Immemorial," which contemplates the enduring effects of the September 11, 2001, tragedy.

2. Host’s Reflection on September 11, 2001

Major Jackson opens the episode with a deeply personal account of his experience on the morning of September 11, 2001. He recounts sitting at a stoplight on Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans when he heard a radio DJ announce, “A plane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.” He reflects on the inappropriate humor that followed the announcement, highlighting the initial disbelief and shock that enveloped the nation.

“Like the Kennedy assassination for my parents, generation, mine will always remember and recall where we were on 9 11.”
— Major Jackson [00:06]

He further describes the immediate personal impact, sharing how his family reached out amidst the chaos, and the broader societal changes that ensued, such as the initiation of a prolonged war and the establishment of a more advanced surveillance state aimed at enhancing national security.

3. The Role of Poetry in Reflecting Public Events

Jackson emphasizes the significance of poetry in processing and memorializing historical events like 9/11. He argues that poetry provides a space for citizens to engage thoughtfully with complex emotions and societal shifts, countering the often reductive narratives found in political and media discourse.

“Poems about public events offer reflection. They counter political and media rhetoric that aims to simplify.”
— Major Jackson

He articulates that poetry fosters justice and civic dialogue, allowing individuals to transform raw emotions from events like 9/11 into eloquent expressions of hope and understanding.

4. Overview of "Time Immemorial" by Daniel Simon

The central feature of the episode is Daniel Simon’s poem “Time Immemorial,” written on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The poem intricately weaves imagery and emotion to convey the lingering effects of that day on collective memory and individual consciousness.

5. Analysis of Themes in "Time Immemorial"

Simon’s poem explores several key themes:

• Collective Innocence and Loss: The poem begins by highlighting the "blueness of the sky" that day, symbolizing a sense of innocence before the tragedy struck. This imagery underscores the abrupt loss of peace and normalcy.

• Temporal Displacement: Phrases like “time’s arrow” and “eternity measured in grief strickenness” convey the disorienting impact of the event on the perception of time, blending moments of intense sorrow with the notion of timeless suffering.

• Resilience and Reconstruction: The poem speaks to the human capacity to find meaning amidst devastation. Lines such as “to exhume meaning from the rubble at our feet” suggest a determined effort to rebuild and derive purpose from tragedy.

• Suspension and Movement: The imagery of an "arc" that is “suspending our fixity” reflects a state between stagnation and progression, symbolizing both the paralysis felt during the catastrophe and the eventual movement towards healing.

6. Notable Quotes

The episode features several impactful lines from both Major Jackson and Daniel Simon’s poem:

• Major Jackson on Poetry’s Role:

  “Writing poems gives citizens in a democracy a place at the table of ideas and grants us a way to engage that promotes justice and civic dialogue.”
  — Major Jackson

• Daniel Simon’s Reflections in the Poem:

  “those who remember that day always mentioned the blueness of the sky that morning, as if to underscore our collective innocence”
  — Time Immemorial [Episode Timestamp Not Provided]

  “Not an instant frozen in time but eternity measured in grief strickenness.”
  — Time Immemorial

  “to pry apart those ones just far enough to let others pass through”
  — Time Immemorial

7. Conclusion

Major Jackson wraps up the episode by reiterating the enduring significance of poetry in capturing and reflecting the complexities of pivotal historical moments. He underscores how poems like “Time Immemorial” serve as vessels for collective memory, allowing society to navigate the aftermath of tragedy with grace and resilience.

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The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with The Poetry Foundation and supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.