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After the Industrial Revolution, All Things
Happen at Once BY ROBERT BLY Now we enter a
strange world, where the Hessian Christmas Still
goes on, and Washington has not reached the other
shore The Whiskey Boys Are gathering again on
the meadows of Pennsylvania And the Republic is
still sailing on the open sea.
Isaac AbramsCosmic Orchid1967
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I saw a black angel in Washington dancing On a
barge, saying, Let us now divide kennel dogs And
hunting dogs Henry Cabot Lodge, in New York,
Talking of sugar cane in Cuba Ford, In
Detroit, drinking mothers milk Henry Cabot
Lodge, saying, Remember the Maine! Ford,
saying, History is bunk! And Wilson saying,
What is good for General Motors ...
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Who is it, singing? Dont you hear singing? It
is the dead of Cripple Creek Coxeys army Like
turkeys are singing from the tops of trees! And
the Whiskey Boys are drunk outside
Philadelphia. Bly, Robert. "After the
Industrial Revolution, All Things Happen at Once
."     The Light Around the Body. Harper
Collins, 1967. Poetry Foundation. Ed.     The
Poetry Foundation. 2008. The Poetry Foundation.
28 Feb. 2008     lthttp//www.poetryfoundation.org
/archive/poem.html?id176612gt.
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Works Cited
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Robert Bly Back to poem
The Austin Chronicle
Bettmann/Corbis
Robert Bly represents a new school of poets
inclined towards natural and visionary verse,
rather than academic subjects and forms. His
theories on the roots of Americas social
problems can be clearly seen in much of his
poetry, including After the Industrial
Revolution, All Things Happen at Once. Bly feels
that many of our modern troubles can be traced to
our loss of primitive roots. This theory leads
him to use his poetry as a way to delve into the
often unseen connections and interactions between
the human mind and the things of the natural
world. This way of thinking is seen throughout
After the Industrial Revolution in the
interplay between natural images of animals and
the landscape and references to commercial and
political history (Contemporary Authors). Bly is
also well known for his opposition to the Vietnam
War, going so far as to co-found the
organization, American Writers against the
Vietnam War. After the Industrial Revolution is
part of a section of poems against the war in his
National Book Award Winning collection, The Light
around the Body. Bly donated the prize money he
won to the antiwar effort (Contemporary Authors).
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Hessian ChristmasBack to Poem
This refers to the Battle of Trenton which took
place on December 26, 1776 during the
Revolutionary War. Up until this point in the
war, British troops controlled much of New Jersey
and the Americans had not yet enjoyed a clear
victory of any kind. Washington won this battle
by leading his troops across the Delaware River
in secret. Once they crossed, the American army
managed to capture 900 mercenary Hessian
soldiers, while only suffering three casualties
of their own (American History).
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Washington has not reached the other shore Back
to Poem
In this stanza, Bly asks the reader to imaging a
world where Washington is suspended in time
waiting to cross the Delaware, and has yet to
bring a decisive victory to the Americans in the
Revolutionary War. Bly is comparing this strange
world to the reality of the War in Vietnam. To
Bly, Americas participation in Vietnam is as
ridiculous as the Idea of Washington waiting
endlessly on the frozen banks of the Delaware for
a victory, and is equally as hopeless.
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The Whiskey Boysback to poem
Here, Bly is referring to a rebellion started by
protesting Pennsylvania farmers in 1794. In 1791
the government passed a tax on whiskey which
proved to be very costly for grain farmers who
were required to pay the tax before distilling
their crops into alcohol. Although many farmers
petitioned congress to lessen the burden, the tax
was not removed. By 1794 a number of frustrated
farmers in western Pennsylvania began local
protests which are now known as the Whiskey
Rebellion. Eventually, President Washington
called up the militia to stamp out these acts of
protest and the farmers backed down (Whiskey
Rebellion).
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Isaac Abrams Cosmic Orchid1967
This psychedelic painting from the year known as
the summer of love depicts visually many of the
feelings Bly paints with words in his poetry. It
is clear here that the natural world has been
disrupted and is descending into a swirling
chaos. The colors are harsh and in discord with
the natural colors of orchids. There is a sense
of urgency and violence screaming in the neon
vibrancy the perfect painting to describe the
tumultuous America of the Vietnam War era.
Back to Poem
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Pennsylvaniaback to poem
Bly uses the Whiskey Rebellion as a metaphor for
those protesting the Vietnam War. Like the
Pennsylvania farmers, those against the war feel
the government is overstepping its bounds in ways
that are neither right nor just. Also like those
long ago farmers, those in the anti-war camp are
willing to rise up in protest against the
government.
The whiskey rebellion
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still sailingback to poem
Here, Bly introduces the idea that our nation,
the republic is adrift, or sailing on the open
sea. He is arguing that we have not aligned
ourselves with anything as concrete or stable as
land. Our involvement in the war has removed our
country from the secure foundation of land and
set us adrift in a vast ocean of uncertain
outcome.
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Henry Cabot LodgeBack to Poem
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. was a U.N. Ambassador
during the 1960s and a one time member of the
board of directors of the United Fruit Company.
In January of 1960 Cuba expropriated 70,00 acres
of property belonging to U.S. sugar companies,
including the United Fruit Company. Many other
influential political leaders also had interests
in this company. The U. S. government protested
the seizure of the land, but to no avail, U.S.
Cuba relations continue to be tumultuous to this
day (Franklin).
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr
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FordBack to poem
Henry Ford is generally known as the father of
the modern automobile. The Ford Motor company was
incorporated in 1903 and produced only a few cars
a day at a factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit.
Even at this slow pace, Ford was able to produce
a reasonably priced automobile with the
introduction of the Model T in 1908. In 1913 Ford
changed the way everything from clothes to soup
was manufactured by instituting the continuous
moving assembly line. This process cut time and
costs, allowing the Model T to become even more
affordable (The Henry Ford).
Hartsook
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Remember the MaineBack to poem
Remember the Maine! was a popular slogan during
the Spanish-American War. The slogan refers to
the explosion of the battleship USS Maine on
February 15, 1898. 266 crewmen lost their lives
when the boat sank in Havana Harbor. The
explosion was blamed on a Spanish mine and became
a major catalyst for the Spanish-American War.
Today, however, many experts believe the
explosion was triggered by something internal and
was completely accidental (Sinking of the Maine).
USS Maine
Bly may be referencing this event to warn readers
that what we remember of history is not always
accurate. Just as a likely accident birthed the
war cry Remember the Maine! Bly fears
misrepresented history from the 1940s and 50s
is being used to spur on the Vietnam War.
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History is bunkback to poem
Ford and Model T
This phrase, attributed to Henry Ford, is often
misquoted and taken out of context. When a
Chicago Tribune reporter compared the need to
build up Americas armed forces to the British
need to build up troops before they fought
Napoleon a century earlier, Ford opposed the
comparison saying, I dont know much about
history, and I wouldnt give a nickel for all the
history in the world. It means nothing to me.
History is more or less bunk. Its tradition. We
dont want tradition (Howard). Bly, like Ford,
is wary of using past events as the basis for
present actions. For him, Americas involvement
in Vietnam is bunk, as he feels history that is
already several decades old is being used to
justify a contemporary battle.
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What is good for General Motors. .Back to poem
Bly uses this quote as a metaphor for politicians
he sees as falsely believing that what is good
for their own interests is also good for the
interests of America as a whole.
Charles E. Wilson was once president of General
Motors Corporation. In 1953, recently resigned
from that position, he went through confirmation
hearings before the Committee on Armed Services
to become Secretary of Defense. During the
nomination hearing on January 15th he was asked
if he would be able to make a decision that
furthered the interests of the U.S. but would be
unfavorable towards the interests of General
Motors. He replied, For years I thought what was
good for our country was good for General Motors,
and vice versa. The difference did not exist
(Respectfully Quoted).  
Charles E. Wilson
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Let us now divide kennel dogs And hunting
dogsBack to poem
This line refers to a quote made by Secretary of
Defense Charlie Wilson In the middle of the 1954
recession. Speaking to Detroit reporters about
the nations rising unemployment rate Wilson
said, "I've always liked bird dogs better than
kennel-fed dogs myself. You know, one that'll get
out and hunt for food rather than sit on his
fanny and yell." His analogy became a popular
slogan for the democrats during that years
congressional election campaign (Time).
Bly uses this phrase as a call to action. If
change is going to happen, there must be those
willing to be hunting dogs, going out and making
things happen, rather than sitting like spoiled
kennel dogs yelping for help. It can be argued
that Bly sees those protesting the Vietnam War as
hunting dogs willing to fight.
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Coxeys armyBack to poem
Jacob Sechler Coxey, known for much of his life
as General Coxey, fought tirelessly to bring the
plight of the unemployed to the attention of
politicians in Washington. In 1894 he led a march
on Washington to demand relief for those
suffering from the depression of the mid- 1890s.
Known as Coxey's Army, the demonstrators left
Massillon, Ohio on March 25, numbering only 100.
However, their ranks grew to over 500 strong as
they reached Washington on May 1. The marchers
attempted to travel down Pennsylvania Avenue but
were stopped by police before they reached the
Capitol. Coxey and others broke free and rushed
the Capitol steps but were arrested for walking
on the lawn ("Jacob Coxey).
Jacob Coxey
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Dead of Cripple CreekBack to poem
In 1903 a bloody conflict broke out between The
Mine Owners Association and the Western
Federation of Miners in Cripple Creek, Colorado.
The Mine Owners were determined to crush the
union, and before the conflict was resolved over
thirty men were dead as the result of gun
battles. The two sides fought with guns as well
as fists, dynamite, and harsh words in the press.
Both side sent conflicting reports to eastern
newspapers.
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Turkeys are singingBack to Poem
While domestic turkeys cannot fly, wild turkeys
can indeed fly as high as trees, but no higher.
The image of turkeys singing from the tops of
trees is somewhat humorous, but not
awe-inspiring. Yet, Bly chooses this image to
describe Coxeys army. In many ways this is
appropriate. By marching on Washington, Coxeys
army has flown as high as they possibly can, and
although their cry sounds as cacophonous to the
powers that be as a turkeys gobble, they are
doing everything in their power to make their
voices heard.
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Drunk outside PhiladelphiaBack to poem
At first glance, this final stanza seems to end
the poem on a rather forlorn and disillusioned
note. Bly can hear voices singing, but they turn
out to be the dead of Cripple Creek and Coxeys
army belting out turkey gobbles. He sees the
Whiskey Boys ready to protest, but they are
reveled to be drunk outside of Philadelphia,
unable to continue their fight. All is not lost,
however. Even after their death, the voices of
the miners from Cripple Creek can still be heard.
Their fight for justice did not end with their
death, but continues as long as they are
remembered. Coxeys army, although small and
untrained, are making noise to the best of their
ability. They are unable to make eloquent
speeches, but are determined to be heard
nonetheless. And the Whiskey boys, drunk as they
are, have not given up the fight. They may be
delayed by their present circumstances, but they
are standing their ground. By flashing through
these images, Bly shows readers the diverse ways
those seeking justice can overcome adversity. The
Vietnam War, like any controversial issue,
requires protestors of all kinds, including the
dead, the disheveled, and the disheartened, to
rise above the challenges and make their voices
heard.