Here is the poem:Nothing would sleep in that cellar, dank as a ditch,Bulbs broke out of boxes hunting for chinks in the dark,Shoots dangled and drooped,Lolling obscenely from mildewed crates,Hung down long yellow evil necks, like tropical snakes.And what a congress of stinks!–Roots ripe as old bait,Pulpy stems, rank, silo-rich,Leaf-mold, manure, lime, piled against slippery planks.Nothing would give up life:Even the dirt kept breathing a small breath.I'm writing an explication (explanation or unraveling of the poem) and I am having trouble understanding what quot;silo-richquot; means. Anyone who can help out would be much appreciated!
It's Roethke BTW. In this poem, the general theme is the irrepressible growth of Nature, even in the darkest places, which is life-affirming. Silos are places where grain is stored until such time as it is needed. Rich is an approving term, so Roethke coins this new term to express his view that this smelly cellar is equivalent to the shiniest, new silo, which would be kept clean at all times, as it contains food.
