Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Dorianne Laux?s "The Student" explores the poignant struggle of expression and the transformative effort required to turn silence into speech. Through a deeply empathetic lens, the poem examines a young woman?s quiet presence and the complexities of her internal world, as observed by a teacher attempting to bridge the gap between silence and articulation.

The student’s silence is not just an absence of words but a palpable force that makes her stand out. The speaker compares her quietness to the way death or an open sky becomes more noticeable in contrast to their surroundings. This simile underscores the weight and presence of the unspoken, transforming silence into something almost tangible, "the way a window is more apparent than a wall." Laux’s imagery elevates the student’s reticence, showing it as more than an inability or refusal to speak—it is an active, powerful state that commands attention.

As the teacher, the speaker attempts to engage the student, making a “little speech” that highlights the asymmetry of their interaction. The student?s physical discomfort—"hips rigid, fidgeting"—and intense focus on the speaker’s lips reveal her struggle with language and communication. This focus on the mechanics of speaking—the jaw, tongue, and teeth "shifting in tandem"—reduces the act of speech to its physical components, emphasizing how daunting and alien it can seem for someone unaccustomed to or fearful of it. The description of the February light pressing "its cold back against the glass" mirrors the emotional tension in the room, as both the physical and interpersonal environments feel sealed and constrained.

The shift in the poem occurs when the speaker ceases their own speech, allowing silence to take over. This act of relinquishment creates space for the student’s presence to emerge more fully. The silence becomes almost sacred, described as "smoke or snow" settling on the speaker’s shoulders. This moment illustrates the speaker’s acknowledgment of the student?s inner struggle and their willingness to sit with her discomfort rather than push against it.

The imagery outside the window offers a vivid contrast to the interior tension. Stripped trees, winter starlings, and students moving "as if under water" symbolize both isolation and the potential for movement and change. These elements evoke a sense of suspended animation, as though the world itself holds its breath alongside the student. The speaker’s perception of the students’ soundless mouths, "ready to burn it all down or break into song," reflects the raw potential and unpredictability of transformation, a thematic parallel to the student’s unspoken thoughts.

When the speaker looks back at the student, they note the physical manifestations of her internal struggle: "color smudging her neck and temple," her hands folding and unfolding like paper. This imagery conveys the tension and vulnerability of someone on the cusp of expression. The student’s breath is likened to "smoke rising from ice," a potent metaphor for the warmth and energy required to pierce through silence and give voice to her thoughts. The phrase "what heat it takes for the body to blossom into speech" encapsulates the arduous effort of self-expression, likening it to a natural yet laborious process of growth.

The poem concludes with an open-ended tension, as the student’s leap into speech remains imminent but unfulfilled. The speaker’s profound empathy is evident in their ability to see the student’s silence not as a void but as a space filled with struggle, effort, and potential. The final lines underscore the difficulty of communication and the courage it takes to transcend silence.

"The Student" is a meditation on the intricate dynamics of silence and speech, teacher and learner, observer and observed. Laux captures the profound emotional and physical cost of communication for someone unaccustomed to it, reminding us of the bravery inherent in even the smallest acts of expression. Through vivid imagery and a tender narrative voice, the poem transforms a quiet moment into a deeply human exploration of vulnerability, patience, and connection.

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