Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Naomi Shihab Nye’s "The Story Around the Corner" is a meditation on the unpredictable nature of stories, the way language moves beyond intention, and how words, once spoken, develop lives of their own. The poem explores the tension between the small, everyday act of telling a story and the way that story can spiral out of control, morphing into something unintended, even ominous. Through a combination of conversational tone and startling imagery, Nye examines the mystery of narrative, how it escapes its teller and transforms in the world.

The opening lines immediately set up the expectation of control—only to subvert it: "is not turning the way you thought / it would turn, gently, in a little spiral loop, / the way a child draws the tail of a pig." The phrase "not turning the way you thought" introduces an immediate shift from assumption to uncertainty. The comparison to "a little spiral loop" suggests a simple, predictable movement, a smooth unfolding of events. The child’s drawing evokes innocence, something controlled and contained, but the poem quickly establishes that stories do not always behave so neatly.

The next lines introduce an element of surprise: "What came out of your mouth, / a riff of common talk." Here, Nye emphasizes the ordinariness of speech, the casual way words are spoken, seemingly harmless and unremarkable. Yet, the simplicity of "common talk" contrasts with what follows—the way language, like weather, can suddenly shift: "As a sudden weather shift on a beach, / sky looming mountains of cloud / in a way you cannot predict / or guide." The metaphor of weather underscores the uncontrollable force of stories. Just as a calm day at the beach can be upended by an unexpected storm, a seemingly simple story can transform, darken, and become something else entirely. The word "looming" suggests a sense of foreboding, reinforcing the idea that language, once set in motion, can take an ominous turn.

Nye continues this theme: "the story shuffles elements, darkens, / takes its own side. And it is strange." The phrasing suggests that the story is no longer in the control of the speaker—it has developed autonomy, "shuffling elements" like a force of nature. The idea that it "takes its own side" is particularly striking; it implies that the story is no longer neutral, that it has its own agenda, its own will. This echoes the idea that narratives—once released—are subject to interpretation, embellishment, distortion. The simple act of telling a story sets off consequences that may not be anticipated.

The poem then expands outward, moving from the individual speaker to a broader setting: "Far more complicated than a few phrases / pieced together around a kitchen table / on a July morning in Dallas, say, / a city you don’t live in." The mention of "a few phrases" returns to the idea that stories often begin as small, seemingly insignificant fragments. The mention of "a kitchen table" situates the story in an intimate, domestic space—perhaps a casual conversation among family or friends. Yet, the phrase "a city you don’t live in" introduces distance, disconnection, reinforcing the idea that stories travel, taking on lives independent of their origin. The image of Dallas, "where people / might shop forever or throw a thousand stories / away," suggests a transient, disposable culture—one where stories can be easily discarded or reshaped. The poem implies that while some stories vanish, others take on a force that cannot be undone.

The speaker then acknowledges their own uncertainty: "You who carried or told a tiny bit of it / aren’t sure. Is this what we wanted?" This self-questioning introduces doubt about the power of storytelling. Did the speaker intend for their words to take on this kind of life? The rhetorical question suggests regret, hesitation, a realization that stories—once set loose—may not behave as expected.

Nye deepens this unease: "Stories wandering out, / having their own free lives? / Maybe they are planning something bad." The idea of "wandering out" personifies the stories as entities that roam beyond control, independent of their tellers. The phrase "having their own free lives" suggests liberation, but the next line introduces an unsettling possibility—that these stories might not just be free, but dangerous. The shift from "free lives" to "planning something bad" suggests that what begins as an innocent telling can morph into rumor, misinterpretation, or even harm.

The poem’s climax comes with a powerful, almost eerie image: "A scrap or cell of talk you barely remember / is growing into a weird body with many demands." Here, Nye reinforces the idea that words, even those barely remembered, can take on a strange, unintended form. The use of "scrap or cell" suggests something small and organic, something that can multiply, mutate, and evolve into something far larger than itself. The "weird body with many demands" makes the story feel monstrous, as if it has taken on a physical presence, something that insists on being reckoned with.

The final lines bring the metaphor to its fullest realization: "One day soon it will stumble up the walk and knock, / knock hard, and you will have to answer the door." The story, now fully personified, has become something real, tangible, and unavoidable. The repetition of "knock, / knock hard," intensifies the inevitability of confrontation. What was once just a piece of "common talk" has returned, demanding acknowledgment. The speaker is left in a position where they must now deal with the consequences of what they once set in motion.

"The Story Around the Corner" is a meditation on the nature of storytelling—on how words, once spoken, take on lives beyond their speaker’s control. Nye explores the way narrative can spiral unpredictably, shifting from something innocent to something charged with unexpected meaning. The poem suggests that while stories may feel light when we tell them, they can grow heavy with time, accumulating weight, consequences, and a will of their own. In the end, what begins as casual talk can return to us, unrecognizable, knocking at our door—demanding to be answered.

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