Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Pennacesse Leper Colony for Women, Cape Cod: 1922" by Norman Dubie is a poignant and haunting reflection on isolation, loss, and the human condition, framed through the lens of women living in a leper colony. Dubie uses vivid imagery and the stark reality of the colony's inhabitants to explore themes of identity, exclusion, and the struggle for dignity against overwhelming odds.

The poem begins by setting the scene of an island described as a "blemish in this landscape," immediately establishing a sense of otherness and separation. This imagery of imperfection and isolation is contrasted with the beauty of a "blue, bright day," suggesting the harsh juxtaposition of the colony's reality against the natural world. The description of Charlotte, "frail and the youngest of us," who collects sticks and branches to start fires, introduces the first personal story. Her crying as the branches burn—because they resemble what she has lost or has little of, such as her fingers and arm—deepens the emotional landscape of the poem. This poignant moment captures the physical and emotional losses suffered by the inhabitants of the colony.

The depiction of the women wearing green hoods and the mention of couples in the distance wearing yellow coats emphasize the separation between the colony's inhabitants and the outside world. The stark division between "us" and "them" is palpable, highlighting the social stigma and isolation associated with leprosy. Yet, Dubie also introduces a note of irony and perhaps a critique of society's aversion and hypocrisy with the lines, "We offend / Everyone who is offended most / And by everything and everyone."

The presence of the five goats that "love us" and live in the dark houses with the women introduces a semblance of normalcy and affection within the bleak setting. These animals do not judge or exclude but are part of their daily lives, contrasting sharply with the treatment the women receive from society. The description of the goats climbing the steps and leaving "thick / Yellow trails of fresh milk" adds a raw, visceral quality to the scene, underlining the natural processes of life that continue despite the circumstances.

Dubie delves into the communal identity of the colony's residents with the repeated phrase "For us." This refrain underscores their solidarity and collective identity, a necessary bond in the face of overwhelming adversity. The description of washing in salt water, which "smarts or maybe even hurts," and Anne being lowered into the water with a rope around her waist, vividly illustrates the physical pain and hardships the women endure.

The final portion of the poem transitions into a personal address to the speaker’s father, revealing a deep and complex layer of personal identity and familial relationship. The speaker's acknowledgment of living, yet being "less and less your flesh," speaks to a profound transformation and distancing from her previous life and identity. The metaphor of becoming "a lightning bug on the lawn, or the Negro fishing at the pond, or the fat trout he wraps / In leaves" illustrates a desire to transcend her current form and exist in her father’s memory as elements of the natural and peaceful world, rather than as a sufferer of her disease.

In conclusion, Norman Dubie's "The Pennacesse Leper Colony for Women, Cape Cod: 1922" is a deeply moving exploration of identity, suffering, and the human spirit. The poem challenges the reader to confront the realities of exclusion and the capacity of the human heart to endure and find kinship even in the most dire circumstances. Through vivid imagery and poignant personal stories, Dubie crafts a narrative that is both a lament and a profound assertion of life's persistence.

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