‘Out, Out—’ The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard
1 And made2 dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood, Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it.3 And from there those that lifted eyes could count Five mountain ranges one behind the other Under the sunset4 far into Vermont. And the saw snarled and rattled5, snarled and rattled, As it ran light, or had to bear a load.6 And nothing happened7: day was all but done. Call it a day, I wish they might have said To please the boy8 by giving him the half hour That a boy counts so much when saved from work. His sister stood beside him in her apron9 To tell them ‘Supper.’10 At the word, the saw,11 As if to prove saws knew what supper meant, Leaped out at the boy’s hand12, or seemed to leap— He must have given the hand. However it was, Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!13 The boy’s first outcry was a rueful laugh, As he swung toward them holding up the hand Half in appeal, but half as if to keep The life from spilling. Then the boy14 saw all— Since he was old enough to know, big boy Doing a man’s work, though a child at heart— He saw all spoiled. ‘Don’t let him cut my hand off—15 The doctor, when he comes. Don’t let him, sister!’16 So. But the hand was gone already. The doctor put him in the dark of ether.17 He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath18. And then—the watcher at his pulse took fright. No one believed. They listened at his heart19. Little—less—nothing!—and that ended it. No more to build on there. And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.20
Macbeth "Out, out, brief candle."
Narrative poem
Single stanza
Minimal rhyme
Uneven meter
Blank verse
The number of lines is initially very long, with enjambment being prominent, but then caesura takes over towards the middle. Adds tension?
The poem opens with a zoomorphic description of the buzz saw, making it seem aggressive and dangerous. ↩
The buzz saw is also connected to the somewhat harsh 'd' sound in the alliteration in the following line. Also consonance if you consider the "made" word. ↩
Juxtaposing this is the sibilance associated with the wood itself and the serenity of the natural landscape. ↩
Sunset is a foreboding symbol. ↩
The zoomorphic phrase from earlier is repeated, appearing twice in line seven. ↩
The tonal changes between lyrical and jolting, and the suggested nuanced of understanding in "As it ran light, or had to bear a load" work to create tension and apprehension in the reader ↩
The foreshadowing of "And nothing happened" and the speaker's plea to "Call it a day". ↩
Links to childhood innocence, youth, naivety. ↩
Structurally, the poem changes here, reflecting the tonal shift. Caesura replaces enjambment. ↩
Gender roles are representation through the association of working the saw (masculine connotations) against aprons and supper (feminine connotations, domestic sphere) ↩
Childhood in rural areas is described to be not playful but characterised by working/contributing to the household. ↩
The saw is against described to be alive and cognisant of its actions. ↩
The short, abrupt sentence of "But the hand!" is followed by a long, flowing sentence that reads over three and a half lines. The following lines all have longer pauses, as the structure of the text reflects the emotions of the boy and the atmosphere of the yard. Is the long sentence resembling of a rambling speech due to the boy's shock? ↩
The repetition of "boy" works to reinforce the pity felt as he is youthful and innocent yet "Doing a man's work" (taking up masculine role) and suffering the consequences. ↩
The boy is in such shock that he doesn't acknowledge the hand is already gone. ↩
Again, lines feature caesura more than the enjambment of earlier. The abruptness suits the tone of the content. ↩
The doctor appears to anaesthetise the boy and administer CPR. ↩
The allusion of the title is possible referenced here. ↩
The "child at heart" has suffered heart failure from the shock of the accident or has simply bled out. ↩
The ending seems shocking, devoid of emotion, in a matter of fact sense. It suggests life goes on as normal despite the tragedies faced by the living. Wanting people to be critical of this endangering lifestyle? ↩
