Welcome, aspiring literary explorers, to a journey into the profound depths of Carter Revard’s “Discovery Of the New World.” This poem is not merely a collection of words; it is a mirror reflecting uncomfortable truths about history, power, and perception. Prepare to unravel its layers, examining how Revard masterfully uses language to challenge our understanding of conquest and humanity.
First, let us immerse ourselves in the poem itself:
The creatures that we met this morning
marveled at our green skins
and scarlet eyes.
They lack antennae
and can’t be made to grasp
your proclamation that they are
our lawful food and prey and slaves,
nor can they seem to learn
their body‑space is needed to materialize
our oxygen absorbers,
which they conceive are breathing
and thinking creatures whom they implore
at first as angels or (later) as devils
when they are being snuffed out
by an absorber swelling
into their space.
Their history bled from one this morning
while we were tasting his brain
in holographic rainbows
which we assembled into quite an interesting
set of legends,
that’s all it came to, though
the colors were quite lovely before we
poured them into our time;
the blue shift bleached away
meaningless circumstance and they would not fit
any of our truth‑matrices,
there was, however,
a curious visual echo in their history
of our own coming to their earth;
a certain General Sherman
had said concerning a group of them
exactly what we were saying to you.about these creatures:
it is our destiny to asterize this planet,
and they will not be asterized,
so they must be wiped out.
We need their space and oxygen
which they do not know how to use,
yet they will not give up their gas unforced,
and we feel sure,
whatever our “agreements” made this morning,
we’ll have to kill them all:
the more we cook this orbit,
the fewer next time around.
We’ve finished burning all their crops
and killed their cattle.
They’ll have to come into our pens
and then we’ll get to study
the way our heart attacks and cancers spread among them,
since they seem not immune to these.
If we didn’t have this mission it might be sad
to see such helpless creatures die,
but never fear,
the riches of this place are ours
and worth whatever pain others may have to feel.
We’ll soon have it cleared, as it is already at the poles.
Then we will be safe, and rich, and happy here forever.
Discovery Of the New World: A Comprehensive Guide
Summary of “Discovery Of the New World”
Carter Revard’s “Discovery Of the New World” presents a chilling narrative from the perspective of alien invaders arriving on a new planet. These extraterrestrial beings, characterized by “green skins and scarlet eyes,” encounter the planet’s indigenous inhabitants, whom they immediately deem “creatures” and rightful “food and prey and slaves.” The aliens justify their brutal conquest with a cold, logical detachment, claiming the natives’ “body‑space is needed to materialize our oxygen absorbers” and that the planet is destined to be “asterized,” meaning transformed or colonized for their own use.
The poem details the aliens’ systematic destruction of the native population and their environment, including burning crops, killing cattle, and introducing diseases. Despite a fleeting moment of aesthetic appreciation for the natives’ history, which they consume and dismiss as mere “legends,” the aliens remain resolute in their mission. They draw a stark parallel between their actions and those of a historical figure, General Sherman, on Earth, underscoring the cyclical nature of colonial violence. The poem concludes with the aliens anticipating a future of safety, wealth, and happiness, built upon the complete eradication of the original inhabitants.
Central Idea and Noteworthy Knowledge
The central idea of “Discovery Of the New World” is a scathing critique of colonialism, imperialism, and the dehumanization inherent in conquest. Revard masterfully employs an allegorical framework, using an alien invasion scenario to expose the historical atrocities committed by colonizers against indigenous peoples. By reversing the perspective, placing the reader in the shoes of the colonizer, the poem forces a re-evaluation of historical narratives and the justifications often used for exploitation.
A crucial piece of noteworthy knowledge for understanding this poem is the background of its author, Carter Revard. As a member of the Osage Nation, Revard brings a unique and deeply informed perspective to the themes of land, identity, and the devastating impact of colonization. Published in 1980, the poem resonates with the ongoing struggles for indigenous rights and sovereignty, making it a timeless and powerful commentary on historical injustices and their lingering consequences. It challenges readers to recognize the patterns of oppression, regardless of who the “discoverers” or the “discovered” may be.
In-Depth Analysis of “Discovery Of the New World”
Perspective and Tone: The Alien Gaze
The poem’s most striking feature is its first-person plural perspective, narrated by the alien invaders. This “we” voice establishes an immediate sense of collective purpose and shared ideology among the colonizers. The tone is consistently detached, clinical, and devoid of empathy, even when describing horrific acts. For example, the narrator states:
If we didn’t have this mission it might be sad
to see such helpless creatures die,
but never fear,
the riches of this place are ours
and worth whatever pain others may have to feel.
This passage reveals a chilling rationalization of violence, where any potential sadness is quickly dismissed in favor of material gain and the perceived importance of their “mission.” The use of phrases like “lawful food and prey and slaves” further underscores this dehumanizing, objectifying tone, presenting the indigenous inhabitants as mere resources rather than sentient beings.
Allegory and Historical Parallel: A Mirror to Our Past
The entire poem functions as an extended allegory for the historical colonization of the Americas and other indigenous lands. The alien invaders represent European colonizers, while the “creatures” symbolize the indigenous populations. This allegorical framework allows Revard to critique historical events without explicitly naming them, thereby universalizing the experience of conquest. The most direct historical parallel is the explicit allusion to General Sherman:
a certain General Sherman
had said concerning a group of them
exactly what we were saying to you.
about these creatures:
it is our destiny to asterize this planet,
and they will not be asterized,
so they must be wiped out.
This reference to General William Tecumseh Sherman, infamous for his “scorched earth” tactics during the American Civil War and his role in conflicts with Native American tribes, directly links the aliens’ genocidal intentions to a specific, brutal chapter of human history. The aliens’ declaration of “destiny to asterize this planet” echoes the concept of Manifest Destiny, a belief that justified American expansion and the displacement of indigenous peoples.
Imagery: Painting a Disturbing Picture
Revard employs vivid and often unsettling imagery to create a disorienting atmosphere and highlight the aliens’ alien worldview. Descriptions like “green skins and scarlet eyes” immediately establish the invaders as profoundly “other.” The process of understanding the natives’ history is depicted with a disturbing blend of beauty and brutality:
Their history bled from one this morning
while we were tasting his brain
in holographic rainbows
which we assembled into quite an interesting
set of legends,
The “holographic rainbows” offer a visually stunning image, yet it is juxtaposed with the gruesome act of “tasting his brain,” creating a profound sense of horror. This imagery underscores the aliens’ capacity to extract and aestheticize information while remaining utterly detached from the suffering they inflict. The subsequent “blue shift bleached away meaningless circumstance” further emphasizes their selective interpretation of history, discarding anything that does not fit their “truth‑matrices.”
Diction: The Language of Dehumanization
The choice of words, or diction, is crucial in shaping the poem’s chilling effect. The aliens consistently refer to the indigenous inhabitants as “creatures,” “food,” “prey,” and “slaves.” This language strips the natives of their humanity, making it easier for the aliens to justify their actions. Consider the lines:
your proclamation that they are
our lawful food and prey and slaves,
The word “lawful” is particularly insidious, suggesting that their exploitation is not only permissible but sanctioned by some higher authority or inherent right. Scientific or clinical terms like “body‑space,” “materialize,” “oxygen absorbers,” and “truth‑matrices” contribute to the detached, analytical tone, further distancing the aliens from the moral implications of their actions. Even the phrase “the more we cook this orbit, the fewer next time around” uses a chillingly casual, almost culinary, metaphor for systematic extermination.
Symbolism: Resources and Destruction
Several elements in the poem function as powerful symbols:
- Oxygen Absorbers: These devices symbolize the colonizers’ insatiable need for resources and their technological superiority. They represent the tools of invasion and the means by which the natives’ “body‑space” and very existence are consumed. The natives’ misinterpretation of them as “breathing and thinking creatures” highlights their vulnerability and the aliens’ incomprehensible power.
- Burning Crops and Killing Cattle: These acts symbolize the environmental devastation and economic destruction that often accompany colonial expansion. They represent the systematic dismantling of the indigenous way of life and their means of sustenance, forcing them into submission.
- Pens: The “pens” into which the natives are to be gathered symbolize confinement, control, and the reduction of sentient beings to experimental subjects. This imagery evokes historical parallels to concentration camps or reservations, where indigenous populations were confined and subjected to disease and exploitation.
Literary Devices: Irony and Juxtaposition
Revard skillfully employs irony throughout the poem. The title itself, “Discovery Of the New World,” is deeply ironic, as the world is clearly already inhabited. The aliens’ “discovery” is, in fact, an invasion and a destruction. There is also a bitter irony in the aliens’ observation that the natives “do not know how to use” their own “space and oxygen,” implying a superior knowledge that justifies their takeover.
Juxtaposition is evident in the contrast between the aliens’ appreciation for the “lovely” colors of the natives’ history and their ultimate dismissal of its “meaningless circumstance.” This highlights the colonizer’s ability to selectively engage with aspects of the colonized culture, valuing aesthetics while rejecting its inherent meaning or humanity.
Poetic Devices: Free Verse and Enjambment
The poem is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. This form allows the narrative to flow organically, mimicking the relentless, unhindered progression of the alien invasion. The absence of traditional poetic constraints reflects the aliens’ disregard for established order and their imposition of a new, brutal reality.
Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause, is used extensively. For example:
nor can they seem to learn
their body‑space is needed to materialize
our oxygen absorbers,
This technique creates a sense of urgency and momentum, propelling the reader forward, much like the aliens’ unstoppable mission. It also blurs the lines between thoughts and actions, reflecting the aliens’ seamless transition from justification to execution.
Themes: The Enduring Legacy of Colonialism
Beyond the specific devices, “Discovery Of the New World” explores several profound themes:
- Colonialism and Imperialism: This is the overarching theme, examining the mechanics and justifications of conquest.
- Dehumanization: The process by which the colonizer reduces the colonized to mere objects or resources, facilitating violence.
- Environmental Destruction: The burning of crops and killing of cattle highlight the ecological impact of unchecked exploitation.
- Historical Revisionism: The aliens’ dismissal of native history as “legends” and their selective interpretation of events mirror how dominant cultures often erase or distort the histories of the conquered.
- The Cyclical Nature of Oppression: The General Sherman allusion powerfully suggests that patterns of conquest and violence repeat across different times and contexts.
- Justification of Violence: The poem meticulously details the rationalizations used by the invaders, exposing the flimsy logic behind their atrocities.
Conclusion: A Timeless Reflection
“Discovery Of the New World” by Carter Revard stands as a powerful and unsettling work, offering a stark allegorical critique of colonialism and its devastating consequences. Through the chilling perspective of alien invaders, Revard compels readers to confront the historical realities of conquest, dehumanization, and environmental destruction. The poem’s masterful use of literary and poetic devices, from its detached tone and vivid imagery to its potent symbolism and historical allusions, creates an unforgettable experience. It serves as a vital reminder that the narratives of “discovery” often mask profound acts of violence, urging us to critically examine history and the enduring impact of power dynamics on human and planetary well-being. This poem remains highly relevant, prompting ongoing reflection on justice, empathy, and the true cost of unchecked ambition.