Never even heard of James Wright - did a deep dive after reading the poem & before your close reading. Wow. I can also see why this poem stayed with you in that cusp, in-between phase of your life. I love that this is one of those rare poems where the end removes its vaudevillian white gloves and flutters them in your face. Pedantic and also badass. Like it’s saying I know I just exploded your brain. Straight audacity. You know?
Yes, audacity! It shouldn't work, it should feel cheap, like a punchline, but then it does work. I read somewhere that he was inspired by Rilke's torso of Apollo poem, 'You must change your life's, which I can totally see. I think he does it again in "A Blessing" too, with different effects. He's really good
Yes! I read Blessings too and nearly threw my phone across the room. 😂 I am simultaneously in awe of and frustrated by his penchant for taking us right to the brink of transcendence and then being like nah, I’ll stick with the concrete images. See ya. 😩😤🥴 All. The. Feelings. About. That.
Thank you for this! I'd never read this before, and I did a proper double-take at the last line, even though I had warning. I like your interpretation(s) of it!
Reading it back now, I keep tripping over the metals - if the butterfly is bronze and the cowshit is gold, presumably the cow bells are silver? I'm not sure what that means, but it feels very elegant!
Never even heard of James Wright - did a deep dive after reading the poem & before your close reading. Wow. I can also see why this poem stayed with you in that cusp, in-between phase of your life. I love that this is one of those rare poems where the end removes its vaudevillian white gloves and flutters them in your face. Pedantic and also badass. Like it’s saying I know I just exploded your brain. Straight audacity. You know?
Yes, audacity! It shouldn't work, it should feel cheap, like a punchline, but then it does work. I read somewhere that he was inspired by Rilke's torso of Apollo poem, 'You must change your life's, which I can totally see. I think he does it again in "A Blessing" too, with different effects. He's really good
Yes! I read Blessings too and nearly threw my phone across the room. 😂 I am simultaneously in awe of and frustrated by his penchant for taking us right to the brink of transcendence and then being like nah, I’ll stick with the concrete images. See ya. 😩😤🥴 All. The. Feelings. About. That.
Thank you for this! I'd never read this before, and I did a proper double-take at the last line, even though I had warning. I like your interpretation(s) of it!
Thank you - I'm glad this helped you find the poem!
Reading it back now, I keep tripping over the metals - if the butterfly is bronze and the cowshit is gold, presumably the cow bells are silver? I'm not sure what that means, but it feels very elegant!
I love this poem too!