Concerning My Neighbors, the Hittites By Charles Simic - Giggle Poems

Original Poem：

Great are the Hittites.
Their ears have mice and mice have holes.
Their dogs bury themselves and leave the bones
To guard the house. A single weed holds all their storms
Until the spiderwebs spread over the heavens.
There are bits of straw in their lakes and rivers
Looking for drowned men. When a camel won’t pass
Through the eye of one of their needles,
They tie a house to its tail. Great are the Hittites.
Their fathers are in cradles, their newborn make war.
To them lead floats, a leaf sinks. Their god is the size
Of a mustard seed so that he can be quickly eaten.
They also piss against the wind,
Pour water in a leaky bucket.
Strike two tears to make fire,
And have tongues with bones in them,
Bones of a wolf gnawed by lambs.
*
They are also called mound builders,
They are called Asiatic horses
That will drink on the Rhine, they are called
My grandmother’s fortune-telling, they are called
You can’t take it to the grave with you.
It’s that hum in your left ear,
A sigh coming from deep within you,
A dream in which you keep falling forever,
The hour in which you sit up in bed
As though someone has shouted your name.
No one knows why the Hittites exist,
Still, when two are whispering
One of them is listening.
Did they catch the falling knife?
They caught it like a fly with closed mouths.
Did they balance the last egg?
They struck the egg with a bone so it won’t howl.
Did they wait for dead man’s shoes?
The shoes went in at one ear and out the other.
Did they wipe the blood from their mousetraps?
They burnt the blood to warm themselves.
Are they cold with no pockets in their shrouds?
If the sky falls, they shall have clouds for supper.
What do they have for us
To put in our pipes and smoke?
They have the braid of a beautiful girl
That drew a team of cattle
And the engraving of him who slept
With dogs and rose with fleas
Searching for its trace in the sky.
*
And so there are fewer and fewer of them now.
Who wrote their name on paper
And burnt the paper? Who put snake bones
In their pillows? Who threw nail parings
In their soup? Who made them walk
Under the ladder? Who stuck pins
In their snapshots?
The wart of warts and his brother evil eye.
Bone-lazy and her sister rabbit’s-foot.
Cross-your-fingers and their father dog star.
Knock-on-wood and his mother hellfire.
Because the tail can’t wag the cow.
Because the woods can’t fly to the dove.
Because the stones haven’t said their last word.
Because dunghills rise and empires fall.
*
They are leaving behind
All the silver spoons
Found inside their throats at birth,
A hand they bit because it fed them,
Two rats from a ship that is still sinking,
A collection of various split hairs,
The leaf they turned over too late.
*
All that salt cast over the shoulder,
All that bloody meat traveling under the saddles of nomads ...
Here comes a forest in wolf’s clothing,
The wise hen bows to the umbrella.
When the bloodshot evening meets the bloodshot night,
They tell each other bloodshot tales.
That bare branch over them speaks louder than words.
The moon is worn threadbare.
I repeat: lean days don’t come singly,
It takes all kinds to make the sun rise.
The night is each man’s castle.
Don’t let the castle out of the bag.
Wind in the valley, wind in the high hills,
Practice will make this body fit this bed.
*
May all roads lead
Out of a sow’s ear
To what’s worth
Two in the bush.

Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem

This poem, titled "Great are the Hittites," is a rich and imaginative exploration of the ancient Hittite civilization, blending surreal imagery with symbolic language to evoke mystery, resilience, and the passage of time. The poem uses vivid metaphors and paradoxes to describe the Hittites, portraying them as enigmatic figures caught between myth and reality.

The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people known for their powerful empire in the second millennium BCE. Here, the poet describes them in a way that mixes the ordinary with the fantastical: their ears have mice and mice have holes, their dogs bury themselves, and a single weed holds all their storms. These images suggest a world where nature and human life are intertwined in strange, almost magical ways.

The poem contrasts fragility and strength, such as "Their god is the size of a mustard seed so that he can be quickly eaten," implying that their beliefs and power may be small but potent. The paradoxes continue with actions like "piss against the wind" or "pour water in a leaky bucket," highlighting futility and persistence.

The poem also touches on themes of memory, legacy, and disappearance — "And so there are fewer and fewer of them now" — reflecting on how civilizations fade, their stories lost or distorted by time and superstition. The references to curses, superstitions, and rituals ("Who put snake bones in their pillows?") evoke the mysterious ways people try to control fate and history.

The closing lines emphasize endurance and hope: "It takes all kinds to make the sun rise," and "May all roads lead out of a sow’s ear to what’s worth two in the bush," suggesting that despite hardship and confusion, there is value and meaning to be found.

Background and Author Introduction

While the poem does not specify its author, the style and themes suggest influence from modernist and postmodern poetry, which often explores history, myth, and language playfully and ambiguously. The Hittites themselves are a historical subject that has inspired many writers due to their mysterious disappearance and the fragmentary nature of their records.

This poem likely comes from a contemporary poet interested in blending history with folklore, myth, and surrealism to challenge readers' perceptions of time and cultural memory. The poem’s intricate imagery and abstract style encourage deep reflection rather than straightforward narrative.

Educational Insights and Learning Points

From this poem, students and children can learn several important lessons:

• Historical Awareness: The poem introduces the Hittites, encouraging curiosity about ancient civilizations and their impact on human history.
• Imagery and Symbolism: It teaches how poets use vivid images and symbols to express complex ideas and emotions.
• Critical Thinking: The paradoxes and surreal images prompt readers to think beyond literal meanings and explore metaphorical interpretations.
• Cultural Reflection: The poem highlights how myths, superstitions, and stories shape cultural identity and memory.
• Language Play: The creative use of language can inspire students to experiment with metaphors, similes, and paradoxes in their own writing.

Practical Applications in Life and Learning

• Creative Writing: Students can practice writing their own poems using surreal imagery and paradoxes inspired by this poem.
• History Lessons: Teachers can use the poem to introduce the Hittite civilization and discuss how history is preserved or lost.
• Discussion on Superstition and Belief: The poem provides a starting point to discuss how different cultures use rituals and beliefs to cope with uncertainty.
• Critical Reading Skills: The poem encourages students to analyze and interpret abstract texts, improving comprehension and analytical skills.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Who are the main subjects of the poem?
2. What kinds of images does the poet use to describe the Hittites? Give two examples.
3. What do the paradoxes in the poem (like "piss against the wind") suggest about the Hittites?
4. How does the poem portray the idea of memory and legacy?
5. What lessons can we learn from the poem about history and culture?
6. What do you think the phrase "May all roads lead out of a sow’s ear to what’s worth two in the bush" means?
7. Why might the poet describe the Hittites’ god as being the size of a mustard seed?
8. How does the poem use nature to symbolize the Hittites’ world?
9. What is the tone of the poem? Is it hopeful, sad, mysterious, or something else?
10. How can this poem inspire students in their own learning and creativity?

Answers to Reading Comprehension Questions

1. The poem’s main subjects are the Hittites, an ancient people.
2. The poet uses surreal and symbolic images such as "Their ears have mice and mice have holes" and "Their dogs bury themselves and leave the bones to guard the house."
3. The paradoxes suggest a mix of futility and persistence, showing the Hittites as resilient yet caught in impossible or contradictory situations.
4. The poem portrays memory and legacy as fragile and fading, with fewer Hittites left and their stories lost or obscured by superstition.
5. We learn that history is complex, often mysterious, and that cultural identity is shaped by stories, beliefs, and memory.
6. The phrase means that sometimes what seems worthless (a sow’s ear) can lead to something valuable (two in the bush), encouraging optimism and hope.
7. Describing the god as tiny suggests that their faith or power is small but significant, easily consumed or overlooked yet potent.
8. Nature symbolizes the Hittites’ world as intertwined with mystery and survival, with elements like storms, spiderwebs, and animals reflecting their environment.
9. The tone is mysterious and contemplative, blending awe with melancholy and a hint of hope.
10. The poem can inspire students to explore history creatively, use vivid imagery in writing, and think deeply about culture and identity.

This poem offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with history, poetry, and critical thinking, enriching their understanding of literature and the human experience.