Mayday on Holderness is a poem written by Ted Hughes, published in his collection "Crow" in 1970. The poem tells the story of a Mayday parade in Holderness, a rural area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The parade is a celebration of spring and the return of life after the long, cold winter.
One of the key themes in Mayday on Holderness is the cycle of life and death. The parade is a celebration of spring and the return of life, but it is also a reminder of the cycle of death and rebirth that is inherent in all living things. The poem describes the parade as a "corpse procession," with the "dead winter" being carried along in the parade. This imagery serves to highlight the fact that death is a necessary part of the cycle of life, and that we must embrace it as part of the natural order of things.
Another important theme in the poem is the relationship between humans and nature. The Mayday parade is a celebration of the natural world, with the "green-crowned" May Queen at its center. However, the poem also suggests that humans have a tendency to try and control and manipulate nature, as seen in the line "the horde of people, the horde of things" that follows the May Queen. This theme is further developed through the use of animal imagery, with the May Queen being described as a "rabbit" and the parade participants as "dormice" and "mice." This serves to underscore the idea that humans are just one small part of the natural world, and that we should strive to live in harmony with the environment rather than trying to control it.
Mayday on Holderness is a rich and complex poem that explores a range of themes, including the cycle of life and death, the relationship between humans and nature, and the importance of tradition and celebration. Hughes uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey these ideas, making for a powerful and thought-provoking read.