Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"What Lasts" by Marvin Bell is a poignant meditation on the themes of love, impermanence, and the enduring power of expression. Through compact yet profound imagery, Bell navigates the intricate dynamics of human relationships and the creative process, ultimately reflecting on what remains after we are gone.

The poem opens with a direct appeal to Love, personifying it as a companion in the transient journey of life. The transformation of "Paper into pulp" symbolizes the physical decay of written materials, suggesting that the tangible forms of our expressions and emotions are destined to disintegrate. Yet, there's a contrasting idea that even as physical forms perish, their essence—"our words"—can persist, metaphorically "as ashes to cool the sun." This image evokes the concept of legacy and the cooling, perhaps calming, influence of words and love on the fiery intensity of existence.

Bell's mention of "The pen lasts in stories by the fire" evokes the timeless tradition of oral storytelling, where the physical tool of writing is transcended by the act of sharing narratives. The imagery of ink bubbling and words being "cremated" further explores the transformation of expression from written or spoken language to something more elemental and pervasive, "spreads dumbly as in our lungs," indicating a return to the fundamental, perhaps the breath of life itself.

The desire "to speak it now" captures the urgency to communicate, to make one's mark on the world while still alive. The "explosive sound of the lungs, / collapsing as they give back air" serves as a powerful metaphor for the act of creation and expression, simultaneously destructive and generative. This energy, "burning," positions the speaker and the addressee "at the throat of the world," suggesting a profound engagement with life, a desire to influence, to change, to be heard at a global scale.

Bell concludes with the acknowledgment, "We have had a lifetime," a simple yet profound acceptance of the temporal bounds of existence. This statement encapsulates the poem's exploration of what endures beyond the physical—love, words, the impact of our actions and creations. Despite the inevitable dissolution of the material, Bell suggests that the essence of our experiences, relationships, and expressions can outlast us, leaving an imprint on the world and those we touch.

"What Lasts" is a beautifully crafted reflection on the ephemeral nature of life and the lasting impact of love and creative expression. Through his nuanced and evocative language, Marvin Bell invites readers to contemplate the legacies we leave behind, urging us to recognize the value of our contributions to the collective human experience, no matter how fleeting our individual existences may be.

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