Perhaps the World Ends Here

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1994

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

Kitchen Table

The kitchen table is the poem’s central symbol and extended metaphor. In poetry, symbolism is a literary device in which an event, action, or object (such as a table) represents an idea (like ceremony and ritual). The table is a convenient symbol because, even on a literal level, it’s a place where people gather to eat, build community, and share important life moments. While the table begins in Lines 1-3 as a place to simply eat and prepare food, it quickly expands into a symbol beyond its literal function. The table’s symbolism extends into the ceremony of teaching the next generation (“It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human” [Line 4]). Throughout the poem, the table repeatedly becomes a place of ceremony and ritual, representing iconic life moments. More than a place to eat and drink, the table becomes a place of protection (“a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun” [Line 7]) and even a place of battle and resolution (“Wars have begun and ended at this table” [Line 8]).

Ultimately, the table grows and ages with the characters in the poem. By the latter half of “Perhaps the World Ends Here,” the table represents the cycles of life (“We make men at it, we make women” [Line 4]). It is the backdrop for the birth of babies and the burial of parents. As a symbol for the rituals of life, the table represents both the joys and sorrows of a life lived, from the moment of taking one’s first bite of food, to the end of one’s life. By using the table as the poem’s central symbol, Harjo draws on the sense of community and gathering that defines humanity.

World

The poem’s title uses the word “world,” and this word is repeated two more times throughout the poem. The poem is bookended with the mention of the world in Lines 1 and 11 (“The world begins” [Line 1]; “Perhaps the world will end” [Line 11]). However, the world serves as a larger symbol for life and existence. The poem opens like a myth, stating, “The world begins at a kitchen table” (Line 1). Harjo writes her own narrative of humanity’s existence taking place entirely at the kitchen table (her reasoning: “No matter what, we must eat to live” [Line 1]). Within this symbol, the world and its events become contained: At a single table, children are born and taught the rules of life, enemies are realized, wars fought, “terrible [victories]” (Line 8) achieved, deaths and burials occur. Harjo, through the symbol of the world, brings all its elements to this kitchen table. Just as Harjo begins the poem with mention of the world, she ends it this way, too, referencing the world’s end. Here, the symbol and meaning of “world” expand. “World” stands for the physical world (in terms of earth and the apocalypse), it stands for human life, and it stands for all events that make up a life cycle (or a world). “World” in Harjo’s poem is a slippery, evolving word with diverse symbolism. However, Harjo has chosen such a broad, all-encompassing word to appeal to readers of all cultures and to create a sense of commonality throughout the life described in the poem. In the most general sense, the “world” refers to all of humanity. Through this symbol, Harjo speaks to all (and for all) people through the collective “we” perspective.

Sweet Bite

The “sweet bite” (Line 11) that concludes the poem symbolizes the sweetness of life and the experience of living. The poem opens with the reference to eating and sustenance (“we must eat to live” [Line 1]), and Stanza 11 returns to this imagery of eating as “we” gather around the table at the end of the world, “laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite” (Line 11). While the poem may have opened with eating and sustaining one’s life through food, the poem ends differently, altering the symbol of food to be more than nutrient. Instead, the “sweet bite” becomes a symbol for the sweetness of life—the memories, moments, and experiences. Drawing from the Creek traditions of harmony and balance, Harjo cites the complexities of life (represented by joys and sorrows in Line 10 and “laughing and crying” in Line 11). Life is not entirely happy or entirely sad; there are joyful moments (births) and sorrowful moments (deaths). Therefore, the “last sweet bite” (Line 11) that concludes the poems is a symbol for enjoying the entirety of life—the good and bad moments—and giving thanks for all that has been experienced. This symbol concludes “Perhaps the World Ends Here” with a tone of gratitude and thankfulness. The poem ends in community, the “we” sharing the burdens of both happiness and sorrow. Concluding with gratitude, Harjo highlights the harmony of the sweet bite of life coupled with the devastating end of the world. This symbol illustrates that life should be protected, valued, and celebrated while it’s here.