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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Visiting Hour" by Lynda Hull is a poignant exploration of human vulnerability, resilience, and the search for redemption amidst suffering. The poem is set against the backdrop of a hospital solarium, where the speaker and Riva, a woman battling addiction and its hallucinatory aftermath, share a moment of connection and reflection. Through this intimate lens, Hull delves into themes of memory, loss, and the transformative power of care and compassion. The poem opens with the image of rowhouses at dusk, setting a scene that is both ordinary and charged with the potential for beauty and change. The gardener tending to his flowers serves as a metaphor for the nurturing and cultivation of life, even in the face of decay and neglect. This juxtaposition of growth and decline mirrors Riva's own struggle with addiction, as she shares her experiences of delirium tremens and the phantasmagoric visions induced by gin. Riva's request for the speaker to brush her hair is a simple yet profound act of intimacy and trust. It symbolizes the human need for connection and the healing power of touch. As the speaker listens to Riva's memories of singing in nightclubs, there is a sense of the life she once led, full of passion and music, now overshadowed by her current circumstances. Hull captures the essence of Riva's life—the fleeting moments of love and desire, the transient nature of human connections, and the haunting presence of loss. The imagery of "syllables of rain," "steam," "trains," and "ships that leave" evokes a sense of impermanence and longing, reflecting Riva's yearning for escape and the elusive promise of solace. The poem's vivid descriptions of Riva's hallucinations, "insects boiling from the drain, a plague of veiled nuns," convey the terrifying reality of withdrawal and the mind's capacity to conjure nightmarish visions. The electric snap of her hair as it is brushed, "long, the color of dust or rain against a gunmetal sky," is a powerful image that captures the raw, elemental beauty of Riva's existence, even in its most fragile state. The encounter outside the Palace Bar & Grill, where Riva is mocked and demeaned, yet continues to sing, is a testament to her indomitable spirit. This moment of cruelty and indifference is contrasted with the speaker's act of caring for Riva, highlighting the capacity for kindness and empathy in a world often marked by callousness and disregard. As the poem closes, the voices of visiting hour, the nodding of the gardener's flowers, and the boys playing craps under the arclamps create a tapestry of life that continues in spite of pain and hardship. The image of the air shimmering "the way still water shimmers" and Riva's hands unfolding "like gulls across the sky" captures a moment of transcendent beauty, suggesting the possibility of grace and redemption even in the darkest of times. "Visiting Hour" is a deeply moving and beautifully crafted poem that invites readers to reflect on the complexities of the human condition, the enduring power of memory and music, and the small acts of kindness that can illuminate the darkest corners of existence. Through her exquisite imagery and compassionate portrayal of Riva, Hull offers a meditation on the resilience of the human spirit and the redemptive potential of love and care. POEM TEXT: https://agnionline.bu.edu/poetry/visiting-hour/
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