Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Mary" by Lucille Clifton is a sensual and evocative poem that explores themes of spirituality, sexuality, and the sacredness of the female body. Through vivid imagery and a tender, almost prayerful tone, Clifton weaves together the physical and the divine, presenting a moment of profound intimacy and revelation.

The poem begins with "this kiss / as soft as cotton," immediately introducing a tactile and gentle interaction that sets the tone for the rest of the poem. This softness, combined with the comparison to cotton, invokes a sense of purity and simplicity, grounding the poem's sensuality in something natural and unadorned.

The mention of "over my breasts / all shiny bright" continues this exploration of the body's beauty and sacredness. The imagery of brightness suggests a radiance emanating from the speaker herself, highlighting the body not just as an object of desire but as a source of light and life.

"Something is in this night / oh Lord have mercy on me" introduces a plea for divine grace, merging the sensual experience with a spiritual dimension. This line hints at the transformative power of the moment, suggesting that what is happening transcends mere physical pleasure and touches upon something deeper and more profound.

"I feel a garden / in my mouth" further blurs the lines between the physical and the spiritual, with the garden symbolizing fertility, growth, and abundance. The use of this imagery in conjunction with the mouth—a site of both speech and sustenance—suggests the generation of life, creativity, and the expression of the divine through the human body.

The poem concludes with "between my legs / i see a tree," reinforcing the themes of fertility and sacredness. The tree, a universal symbol of life, strength, and connection to the earth, serves as a powerful metaphor for the speaker's own body and sexuality. This imagery suggests that the speaker's physical experience is connected to a larger, cosmic cycle of life and renewal.

"Mary" is a celebration of the female body as a site of divine beauty and power. Lucille Clifton masterfully crafts a poem that challenges conventional separations between the carnal and the holy, presenting sexuality and spirituality as intertwined aspects of the human experience. Through its intimate and reverential tone, "Mary" invites readers to reconsider the sacredness of the body and the profound connections between physical love and spiritual grace.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...