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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Tongues" by Michael Blumenthal is a richly layered poem that delves into the themes of reconciliation, transformation, and the power of language to navigate and make sense of life's complexities. Drawing on a quote from Karl Marx about the necessity of engaging with reality on its own terms to effect change, Blumenthal embarks on a poetic exploration of how one might confront and engage with various facets of the self and experience through the metaphorical mastery of different "tongues." The poem opens with a personal invocation, as the speaker turns to their "cold blood" using "the language of blood," immediately setting the tone for an introspective journey into the self. This metaphorical turning to one's own essence in its most raw form suggests an attempt to connect with and understand foundational aspects of identity and existence. Blumenthal skillfully employs the motif of singing in distinct "tongues" to different aspects of the speaker's life—neglect, childhood, betrayal—each with its own unique lexicon and emotional resonance. This act of singing to one's circumstances in their "own music" is a powerful metaphor for the process of coming to terms with and transforming those circumstances from within. It suggests that acknowledgment and engagement with one's experiences, rather than denial or avoidance, can lead to a form of mastery over them. The reference to becoming "a master of many tongues" and a "Pentecostal rabbi chanting to the ghosts of all my infidelities" evokes the biblical story of Pentecost, where the apostles were granted the ability to speak in multiple languages. This allusion amplifies the poem's exploration of understanding and communication, suggesting a transcendental element to the speaker's quest to reconcile with the various aspects of their life. It underscores the idea that through the acquisition of these metaphorical tongues, one can achieve a deeper communion with the disparate parts of oneself and the external world. As the poem progresses, the imagery shifts from the internal landscape of blood, neglect, and betrayal to a more expansive interaction with the natural world. The speaker imagines skating on the "ice that has become my life," whispering to the moon and beckoning to the stars in their own languages. This evokes a sense of harmony with the universe, achieved through the speaker's newfound fluency in these diverse tongues. The final lines, contemplating addressing the ice in the "cold, brackish language of water, and of salt," symbolize a moment of ultimate convergence between the speaker and the elements, a unification of self and nature achieved through the power of language and empathy. "Tongues" is a compelling meditation on the capacity of language to bridge the internal and external, the personal and universal. Through its intricate imagery and thematic depth, Blumenthal presents a vision of healing and transformation that is both intimate and cosmic, rooted in the profound belief in the potential for renewal through the embrace of life's multifaceted "music."
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOWYOUBEENS' by TERRANCE HAYES MY LIFE: REASON LOOKS FOR TWO, THEN ARRANGES IT FROM THERE by LYN HEJINIAN THE FATALIST: THE BEST WORDS by LYN HEJINIAN WRITING IS AN AID TO MEMORY: 17 by LYN HEJINIAN CANADA IN ENGLISH by JUAN FELIPE HERRERA THERE IS NO WORD by TONY HOAGLAND CONSIDERED SPEECH by JOHN HOLLANDER |
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