Young's View of the Ocean

Undertow

By Dean Young

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People looking at the sea, 

makes them feel less terrible about themselves, 

the sea's behaving abominably, 

seems never satisfied, 

what it throws away it dashes down 

then wants back, yanks back. 

Comparatively, thinks one vice president, 

what are my frauds but nudged along 

misunderstandings already there? 

I can't believe I ever worried 

about my betrayals, thinks the analyst 

benefitting facially from the sea's raged-up mist. 

Obviously I'm not the only one suffering 

an identity crisis knows the boy 

who wants to be a lawyer no more. 

Nothing can stay long, cogitates the dog, 

so maybe a life of fetch is not a wasted life. 

And the sea heaves and cleaves and seethes, 

shoots snot out, goes to bed only to wake 

shouting in the mansion of the night, pacing, 

pacing, making tea then spilling it, 

sudden outloud laughter snort, Oh what the 

heck, I probably drove myself crazy, 

thinks the sea, kissing all those strangers, 

forgiving them no matter what, liars 

in confession, vomitters of plastics 

and fossil fuels but what a stricken 

elixir I've become even to my becalmed depths, 

while through its head swim a million 

fishes seemingly made of light 

eating each other.

This poem discusses the ocean, people, and how both view each other. From start to finish, Young comments on and analyzes the emotions of the sea and those that look to it for guidance. He also touches on the environmental issues revolving around the ocean and humanity's impact and involvement in that. Consequently, there is a strong emotional impact on the reader that Young builds on throughout the poem involving the ocean, humanity, and how both affect the other.

Young begins this poem by stating that the sea tends to make people "feel less terrible about themselves" (2) due to it's unpredictable and often furious attitude. He also alludes to how the sea and those looking to it for help never feel content with what they find or receive. He personifies the sea by giving it these human-like emotions and qualities. Young further emphasizes the temperamental tendencies of the ocean by stating that it ever wave throws the water away and then brings it back because it had decided that it does actually want the water it pushed away. 

As the poem continues, Young begins to talk about different people and how they view the ocean. He includes a vice president, an analyst, a boy who doesn't want to become a lawyer anymore, and a dog. Each of these characters go to the sea to find some sort of solitude and understanding, which the sea does provide for them. This section of the poem, lines 7-18, focuses on these characters and how the sea helps them find a certain faith and hopefulness in their life and gives them the push they need to keep moving forward in their life. However, the underlying information within these lines about the sea is very important as well. When describing the sea, Young uses words such as "raged-up mist" (12) and describes the movement of the water by "the sea heaves and cleaves and seethes" (18), create a violent image of the sea despite how much it is able to aid the previously discussed characters with their issues. 

The final section of this poem focuses solely on the sea and how it is impacted by all it must deal with, both voluntarily and involuntarily. Young writes from the sea's perspective and states, "Oh what the hell, I probably drove myself crazy thinks the sea, kissing all those strangers, forgiving them no matter what" (22-25). This personifies the ocean once again and gives the reader a new perspective on the sea through how it is truly impacted people and the emotions it feels when being used in a negative manner by humanity. Young furthers this idea by alluding to the environmental impact people have on the ocean by discussing humanity as "vomiters of plastic and fossil fuels" (26-27) due to all of the plastic found in oceans and destroying ocean life and fossil fuels destroying the environment. The powerful description of humanity as "vomiters" gives the reader a clear understanding of how disgusted and frustrated the sea is regarding plastic and fossil fuels. Young finishes the poem by describing the head of the sea being filled with fish and light that appear to be eating each other to hint at the life present within the ocean and how they are also being impacted. 

This poem is beautifully written and does a good job of demonstrating the emotions of people and the ocean. The environmental implications that this poem has makes it even more powerful and meaningful. Young did a good job capturing all of the topics in this poem and expressing their inner thoughts and feelings.