Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

June Jordan's poem "What Great Grief Has Made the Empress Mute" is a poignant exploration of the silent suffering experienced by women, particularly those in positions of privilege and visibility, yet constrained by societal expectations and personal losses. Through a series of juxtaposed reasons, Jordan reveals the depth and complexity of the Empress's grief, which remains largely invisible and unacknowledged by those around her. The poem is dedicated to the Empress Michiko and to Janice Mirikitani

The poem opens and closes with the lines, "Because it was raining outside the palace / Because there was no rain in her vicinity," creating a cyclical structure that encapsulates the Empress's isolation and internal desolation. This imagery of rain contrasts the external world with the Empress's internal state, symbolizing her disconnection from the natural and emotional world around her. The rain outside suggests a form of cleansing or emotional release that is denied to the Empress within her gilded confines.

Jordan employs repetition with the word "because," emphasizing the myriad and often contradictory reasons for the Empress's silence. This litany of "becauses" builds a sense of overwhelming inevitability, as if each reason compounds the previous ones, creating an insurmountable barrier to expression. The repetition also serves to underscore the relentless nature of the Empress's grief, which is multifaceted and deeply ingrained in her life experiences.

The poem delves into the personal losses and societal pressures that contribute to the Empress's muteness. "Because marriage robbed her of her mother / Because she lost her daughters to the same tradition" highlights the cyclical nature of patriarchal traditions that separate women from their familial bonds and perpetuate their isolation. This loss of female connection and support is a profound source of grief for the Empress, compounded by the expectations placed upon her as a wife and mother.

The relationship with her son is depicted as another source of pain: "Because her son laughed when she opened her mouth / Because he never delighted in anything she said." These lines reflect a deep sense of rejection and devaluation of the Empress's voice within her own family, reinforcing her sense of invisibility and worthlessness. The laughter of her son at her attempts to communicate underscores the dismissive and patronizing attitudes she faces, even within her most intimate relationships.

Jordan also addresses the superficial aspects of the Empress's life, where "romance carried the rose inside a fist / Because she hungered for the fragrance of the rose." This imagery suggests that the outward appearances of romance and beauty are tainted by control and possessiveness, leaving the Empress longing for genuine love and connection. The "jewels of her life" and the "glow of gold and silk" serve as symbols of her external wealth and status, which mask her inner desolation and disconnect from her true self.

The Empress's grief is described as something beyond imagination, both in its reasons and its nature: "Because no one could imagine reasons for her grief / Because her grief required no imagination." This paradox highlights the incomprehensibility of her suffering to those outside her experience, as well as the profound and undeniable reality of her pain.

In conclusion, "What Great Grief Has Made the Empress Mute" by June Jordan is a powerful meditation on the silent suffering of women constrained by societal and familial expectations. Through vivid imagery and repetitive structure, Jordan exposes the layers of personal loss, societal pressure, and internal conflict that render the Empress mute. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the often invisible and unacknowledged grief experienced by women, and the need for greater empathy and understanding of their struggles.

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