Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"At Luca Signorelli's Resurrection of the Body" by Jorie Graham delves into the intersection of art, spirituality, and the human experience. The poem reflects on Signorelli's fresco, exploring the hurried return of spirits to their resurrected bodies and the deeper implications of this artistic depiction. Graham's intricate language and contemplative tone invite readers to ponder the relationship between the physical and the metaphysical, as well as the role of the artist in capturing and understanding these realms.

The poem begins with an observation of the spirits' eagerness to return to their bodies: "See how they hurry / to enter / their bodies, / these spirits. / Is it better, flesh, / that they / should hurry so?" This opening sets the stage for the central tension of the poem: the desire of disembodied spirits to reclaim their physical forms. The rhetorical question about the value of flesh suggests a contemplation of the human condition, questioning whether physical existence is inherently preferable or superior to the spiritual.

As the poem continues, Graham contrasts the urgency of the spirits with the indifference of the celestial: "From above / the green-winged angels / blare down / trumpets and light. But / they don't care, / they hurry to congregate, / they hurry / into speech, until / it's a marketplace, / it is humanity." The spirits' rush to reenter their bodies and engage in human activities transforms the scene into a bustling marketplace, a microcosm of human life with all its noise and interaction. This imagery underscores the intrinsic human drive for connection and communication.

The poem then shifts to the perspective of the observer in the dark cathedral: "But still / we wonder / in the chancel / of the dark cathedral, / is it better, back? / The artist / has tried to make it so: each tendon / they press / to re-enter / is perfect." Here, the observer questions whether returning to the physical realm is truly desirable. The artist's meticulous depiction of the resurrection process, with each tendon rendered perfectly, suggests an aspiration for an idealized form of humanity. However, this raises the question of whether perfection is the ultimate goal or if there is something more profound at play.

Graham explores the endless nature of human striving and movement: "Standing below them / in the church / in Orvieto, how can we / tell them / to be stern and brazen / and slow, / that there is no / entrance, / only entering." The spirits, now embodied, continue to move and seek, never finding a final resting place. This perpetual state of "entering" reflects the human condition of constant pursuit, always reaching for something beyond our grasp.

The poem then delves into Signorelli's artistic process and his quest for understanding through the depiction of the body: "In his studio / Luca Signorelli / in the name of God / and Science / and the believable / broke into the body / studying arrival." Signorelli's meticulous dissection of the human form, driven by a desire to capture the essence of resurrection, mirrors the spirits' own search for meaning. His artistic process, involving careful observation and dissection, becomes a metaphor for the intellectual and spiritual quest to comprehend the mysteries of life and death.

The poem reaches its emotional climax with a poignant account of Signorelli's response to his son's death: "When one son / died violently, / he had the body brought to him / and laid it / on the drawing-table, / and stood / at a certain distance / awaiting the best / possible light." This personal tragedy adds a layer of depth to Signorelli's work, as he turns to his art to process his grief. His careful dissection of his son's body, conducted with "beauty and care / and technique / and judgment," becomes a form of mourning and a search for solace.

Graham concludes with a reflection on the limitless nature of the human quest for understanding: "But the wall / of the flesh / opens endlessly, / its vanishing point so deep / and receding / we have yet to find it, / to have it / stop us." The endless pursuit of knowledge and meaning is likened to an infinite journey, with no final destination in sight. Signorelli's art, and by extension all human endeavor, represents an ongoing attempt to "mend" the mind through engagement with the physical world.

In "At Luca Signorelli's Resurrection of the Body," Jorie Graham masterfully intertwines themes of art, spirituality, and human existence. The poem's rich imagery and contemplative tone invite readers to reflect on the nature of resurrection, the value of physical existence, and the perpetual human quest for understanding. Through the lens of Signorelli's fresco, Graham explores the deep connections between the body, the spirit, and the artistic process, creating a meditation on the enduring search for meaning in life and art.

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