Carl Sandburg's Fog amazed with it's incredible detail and description being such a short poem. These are the sort of poems that I like, ones that seem to have no initial meaning other then what is painted, yet with each reading, more and more is taken out.
Anyone who has seen John Carpenter's The Fog (The original one, not that horrible remake they did a few years back) knows how genuinely terrifying intense Fog can be. Sandburg perfectly captures this by describing the movement of the fog as being cat-like. He then continues the anthropomorphism by describing the cat (or the fog) overlooking the harbor, quitely, and moves on.
By comparing the fog to a cat, Sandburg expertly opposes the creepiness. Cats are usually associated as being cute, fluffy, cuddly, but they also have that nasty, intelligent, introverted, and that not-a-care-in-the-world attitude that resembles the effect of a fog.
A fog doesn't really do anything besides distort our world and force us to drive slower than usual and it could be said that our way of life is nothing but "distorted reality".
Agreed!! Cat's are creepy and Sandburg's description of the fog as being cat-like lends an eerie feeling to this short little gem. I am also a fan of the original movie and thought of it as I read this poem!! I also like the use of the word "haunches" because it brings to mind a predator waiting to pounce on its prey!
ReplyDeleteI do get a sense on how the fog can be related to the personality of a cat. A cat can be mysterious in my opinion and that's how I feel about the fog. I get a sense that fog recreates a barrier of protection or a barrier to keep people within the city. And even for this being a short poem it's very descriptive and it gives a sense of being and meaning.
ReplyDeleteThe cat comparison in "Fog" struck me also. The imagery that this evokes is striking. Since fog rolls in quickly and silently the cat comparison is beautifully done.
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