Source: Lit Charts

"Touch and Go," by English poet Stevie Smith, is an allegory about humankind's struggle
to progress. In the poem's symbolic story, a lonesome man—a representative for
humanity as a whole—is slowly and painfully crawling "out of the mountains," though he
finds himself impeded by his "tail," a surprising appendage that gets caught on the road.
The man's slow, uncertain efforts to free himself and move on become an image of
humanity's difficulty in leaving behind its base animal impulses and moving toward
Touch and Go- Stevie Smith something like civilization. Smith collected this poem in her 1950 book Harold's Leap.

Man is coming out of the mountains

But his tail is caught in the pass.
Why does he not free himself
Is he not an ass? THEMES:
ABCB -Existential Struggle and Human Suffering: Humanity’s journey is tough and painful, symbolized by mountains and hardship.
-Isolation and Abandonment: Man faces his struggles alone, emphasizing existential solitude.
IRREGULAR METER -Human Vulnerability and Fragility: Man is depicted as delicate and prone to suffering.

FREE VERSE? Do not be impatient with him -The Tension Between Progress and Stagnation: Man’s journey is hindered by his own limitations, as seen in his “tail caught in the pass.”
-Resilience and the Uncertainty of Survival: Despite hardship, man’s movement shows resilience, but his survival is “touch and go.”
-Indifference of the Natural World: Nature is indifferent, portrayed as “ancient enemies” that neither help nor hinder.

He is bowed with passion and fret -Self-Destruction and Futility: Man’s head “in the rubble” suggests his efforts may lead to his own ruin.

He is not out of the mountains

He is not half out yet.

Look at his sorrowful eyes

His torn cheeks, his brow “Touch and Go” can be read as an allegory of human history. Right from the get-go, it's
He lies with his head in the dust clear that this poem is taking place in a symbolic world: the main character here is one “
man,” a single figure standing for all of humanity. He’s doing his level best to crawl out
Is there no one to help him now? of the wild mountains, but he finds that his “tail is stuck in the pass.” Giving the
representative of humanity a tail here, the poem’s speaker symbolically suggests that
there’s something animal in human beings that holds them back from leaving a wild,
No, there is no one to help him beastly, brutal life behind.
Let him get on with it By representing humanity with this figure, the poem suggests that people have to
struggle against something primitive and animal in their natures if they want to attain a
Cry the ancient enemies of man world where human life isn’t solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Perhaps the poem
As they cough and spit. also suggests that something feels very lonely in humanity’s struggles for goodness
and civilization. Think how different the poem would feel if humanity were represented
by even two people. All alone, this guy truly has "no one to help him," even with moral
The enemies of man are like trees support.
Such a view of human beings might have felt particularly apt to Smith as she wrote this
They stand with the sun in their branches poem: she published it in 1950, in the wake of the global horrors of World War II. The
Is there no one to help my creature man's painful, impeded journey has its own symbolic weight, too, suggesting just how
Where he languishes? agonizingly slow human progress feels.
The poem’s speaker, looking on and practically biting their nails in anxiety for this man,
might—strangely enough—also serve as a symbolic representative of all humanity.
Ah, the delicate creature Watching human struggles through one’s fingers and wondering if we’re ever going to
be able to do better is, after all, a classic human pastime.
He lies with his head in the rubble
Pray that the moment pass
And the trouble. FORM & METER
The poem uses a form that’s at once conventional and strange. Glancing at the
poem, readers might expect it to be a ballad: it uses an ABCB rhyme scheme and
Look he moves, that is more than a prayer, quatrains (four-line stanzas—seven of them, in this case), as that old form does. The
But he is so slow meter, however, isn’t steady common meter (as it would be in a ballad), but an
unpredictable accentual meter—that is, a meter that doesn’t use regular feet, but
Will he come out of the mountains? measures lines out by the number of strong stresses they use. Here, even that
It is touch and go. pattern isn’t exactly clear: while most lines hover around three or four stresses, their
rhythms are so changeable and abrupt that there’s no way to regularly mark out the
poem’s beat.
These choices make the poem feel abrupt, startling, and oddly funny. By putting
these swerving rhythms into what would otherwise be a traditional stanza shape,
Smith creates a fitting tone of suspenseful uncertainty and struggle. The lurch of the
SETTING: poem’s rhythms works against the traditional form of its rhymes and stanzas, a fitting
"Touch and Go" is set in a strange, symbolic world, in which effect in a poem about humanity’s desperate (and extremely uncertain) crawl toward,
humanity (embodied as a single “man”) must try to make his way “ well, humanity, something better than the wildness of the symbolic “mountains.”
out of the mountains.” These mountains clearly are not any This is a pretty traditional rhyme scheme, the sort one would hear in a ballad or a
particular mountains in our world, not the Alps or the Andes: they’re hymn. Stevie Smith plays some fun tricks within this familiar pattern, though—for
just The Mountains, symbolic embodiments of wildness, difficulty, instance, by matching “branches” and “languishes” in a surprising slant rhyme, or by
fear, and trouble. The image of man coming out of the mountains but bringing in a startling earthy rhyme to cap a more ordinary word: “it” meets “spit,” “
getting his monkey-like “tail […] caught in the pass” might also pass” meets “ass.”
suggest that these mountains represent a more primitive way of Still, set against the poem’s metrical irregularity, the rhymes here feel almost
approaching the world. Humanity, in this vision, is trying to escape methodical. In their old-fashioned regularity, they help to set the tone. Readers
living among the rocks like a caveman, to advance, to become more understand that they’re watching a highly symbolic struggle here, and the formal
human and less animal. rhyme scheme supports Smith's depiction of an allegorical, stylized world.
Smith, Stevie (1902–1971)
British novelist, book reviewer, short-story writer, and "poet of frozen anguish." Name variations: Florence Margaret Smith; Peggy Smith. Born Florence Margaret Smith in Hull, Yorkshire,
England, on September20, 1902; died of a brain tumor in Ashburton, Devonshire, England, on March 7, 1971; second daughter of Charles Ward Smith and Ethel (Spear) Smith; never married;
no children.
Father deserted family (1903); moved to London suburb of Palmers Green (1906); enrolled in private school, Palmers Green High School and Kindergarten (1907); enrolled in North London
Collegiate School for Girls (1917); worked as secretary for London publishing firm (1923–53); began writing poetry (1924); had six poems published in New Statesman (1935); published Novel on
Yellow Paper (1936); attempted suicide (1953); received the Cholmondeley Award for Poetry (1966); awarded the Gold Medal for Poetry by Queen Elizabeth II (1969).
-"Man is coming out of the mountains"-Meter & Rhythm: It is written in loose iambic meter, though irregularly suggesting an uneasy start to man’s
journey+Imagery: symbolize emerging from hardship or primitive origins, allegorical sense to "man." suggests a struggle with the rugged terrain, which may
represent life’s adversities.+Symbolism: "Mountains" symbolize monumental challenges Emerging from them could imply progress or escape from
hardship.+Allusion: biblical or mythological trials (e.g., Moses descending a mountain), grounding the poem in archetypal human narratives.

-"But his tail is caught in the pass." Irony + Juxtaposition: contradicts the notion of "man" as a higher, evolved being. not fully liberated from his animalistic
traits.End-Stop: feeling of sudden halt, mirroring how man’s progress is literally hindered.+Symbolism: lingering flaws or attachments to old ways, impeding true
progress. +End-Stop: reinforces a physical and metaphorical halt-man’s inability to break free.+Connotations "Pass": mountain pass and "passing" a threshold
in life

-"Why does he not free himself / Is he not an ass?" Rhetorical Question critiquing humanity’s self-imposed constraints +Enjambment: drawing out the question
and unresolved struggle. " prolongs the question, mimicking man’s journey is delayed.+Animal Imagery stubbornness, stupidity, or resistance to change. duality
+Assonance: “e” sounds in “free himself” lyrical quality that contrasts with the harshness of "ass," critique.

-"Do not be impatient with him" Tone: tone of sympathy +empathy for man's plight.+Directive: "Do not” urging patience in viewing man’s struggle.

-"He is bowed with passion and fret"-Alliteration: The "b" sounds in "bowed" and "with" and the "f" in "fret" add a weighted, weary tone to the line, reflecting
emotional burden.+Connotation: "Bowed" suggests man is physically and emotionally bent under the weight of his emotions. "Passion and fret" denote a mix of
strong feelings and anxiety.+Imagery: held back by intense, possibly irrational emotions, which hinders his progress.+Antithesis: "Passion and fret" contrast
intense emotion with anxious worry, capturing man’s complexity as both passionate and fearful.

-"He is not out of the mountains / He is not half out yet." Parallel Structure: enhancing the sense of being stuck, almost circling within the
mountains.+Anaphora: "He is not" entrenched man is in his struggles, almost as if he’s mired in an endless cycle.+Internal Repetition: The “out” -man's desire
to escape, yet the repetition reinforces his stasis.+Cadence: The rhythm slows here, mirroring man's slow, painful progress and setting a solemn tone.

-"Look at his sorrowful eyes":Direct Address: The imperative "Look" draws the reader’s attention to the suffering of man, encouraging compassion.+Imagery:
The "sorrowful eyes" paints a picture of deep sadness and exhaustion, evoking sympathy.+Trochaic Opening: Starting with “Look” (a trochee) gives the line a
sense of urgency.

-"His torn cheeks, his brow" Visual Imagery: man has physically suffered+Connotation: "Torn" suggests violence or the wear of battle, while "brow" (forehead)
indicates burden.+Fragmentation: The short phrases here mirror fragmentation, perhaps suggesting a broken state of being.+Consonance: The "r" sounds in "
torn," "brow," reinforcing a brutal tone.

-"He lies with his head in the dust":Symbolism + Imagery of subjugation+ Biblical Allusion: "Dust" often symbolizes mortality or humility, submission to his trials.
evoke Genesis' phrase, "for dust you are and to dust you shall return," symbolizing mortality.+Meter: The slower rhythm here matches the tone of resignation,
as if man has succumbed to his fate.+Rhythm and Tone: long syllables reflecting resignation.

-"Is there no one to help him now?":Rhetorical Question: man’s isolation and the apparent absence of support.+Ambiguity: lack of aid from society or even from
a higher power.+Isolation: man’s existential loneliness.+ Run-on Question: first of several unresolved questions in the poem, each adding to the uncertainty of
man’s fate.+Tone of Despair: yearning for aid, creating a vulnerable tone.

-"No, there is no one to help him":Hypophora confirming man's solitude in his struggle. - Repetition: The “no one” reinforces a feeling of abandonment,
portraying a bleak view of human existence.

-"Let him get on with it: Dismissive Tone: curt and unsympathetic, suggesting a tough-love attitude or even apathy toward man’s plight.+Meter: The brisk
pacing contrasts with earlier lines, suggesting an almost impatient acceptance of man’s struggles.

-"Cry the ancient enemies of man / As they cough and spit."Personification: "Ancient enemies" suggests forces that have long opposed humanity—perhaps
nature, fate, or internal failings like fear or ignorance.+Auditory Imagery: "Cough and spit" provides a harsh, unpleasant auditory image, reinforcing the idea of
antagonistic forces that disdain or mock humanity’s efforts.+Historical Connotation: “Ancient enemies” suggests a universal or timeless struggle.WARS etc

-"The enemies of man are like trees"Simile they are deeply rooted, stable, and unyielding, perhaps implying that they are intrinsic or fundamental aspects of
existence. - Natural Imagery: Trees are often symbolic of life, strength, and endurance, hinting that these "enemies" are integral to the natural world or human
condition. Steady Rhythm: The calm rhythm contrasts the antagonistic role of these “trees,” creating a deceptive sense of stability.

-"They stand with the sun in their branches":Imagery + Contrast: This image juxtaposes beauty (sun in branches) with hostility, as these enemies stand firm
and immovable, indifferent to man's suffering.+Symbolism: The "sun" could represent knowledge, truth, or enlightenment, suggesting that these enemies,
despite their opposition, hold essential truths.+Ambiguity: "Sun in their branches" suggests beauty or even enlightenment in the opposition

-"Is there no one to help my creature / Where he languishes?":Repetition: Revisiting the question of help emphasizes humanity’s enduring isolation.+Empathy: "
my creature" personalizes man’s struggle, possibly alluding to a creator figure who observes but does not intervene.+Biblical Echo: “Languishes” has a biblical
or classical tone, adding gravity to man’s suffering.

-"Ah, the delicate creature":Tone: The interjection "Ah" conveys a mournful or pitying tone, acknowledging man’s vulnerability. - Juxtaposition: Calling man "
delicate" contrasts with earlier descriptions of his struggle and suffering, emphasizing his fragility. Tone of Pity: The exclamation “Ah” adds a sigh of
compassion, humanizing man’s suffering.Trochaic Meter: Starting with a stressed syllable (“Ah”) adds emphasis to the lament.

-"He lies with his head in the rubble":Imagery of destruction: "Rubble" suggests ruin or the aftermath of destruction, reinforcing the severity of his
plight.+Symbolism: This could represent the detritus of human effort, implying man’s struggle leaves him amid his own ruins.+Physical Submission: His head in
rubble echoes the earlier line of dust, reinforcing submission and defeat.

-"Pray that the moment pass / And the trouble."+Imperative: "Pray" introduces a plea for reprieve.+End-Stop: reflect the sense of resignation or helplessness in
the face of man’s troubles.+ sense of finality+Tone of Resignation: “Pray” suggests a final, almost passive hope, a wish for relief rather than action.

-"Look he moves, that is more than a prayer," Shift in Tone: There is a faint hope as man shows signs of progress. - Enjambment: The line runs into the next,
showing tentative momentum. Shift in Perspective: This line introduces movement, a sign of life and possible progress.+Symbolic Act: "Moves" could signify
resilience

-"But he is so slow"-Pacing: The shortness and simplicity here convey frustration or impatience with man’s struggle. + sibilance

-Will he come out of the mountains?" Uncertainty: Ending on a question reflects the unresolved nature of man's journey.

-"It is touch and go." Idiom and Ambiguity: "Touch and go" implies uncertainty, that man’s survival is on the edge.+Abrupt End: poem’s closure -readers
suspended, mirroring man’s unresolved journey.