Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Lessons from a Mirror," Thylias Moss delves into the complexities of race, identity, and societal expectations through the lens of the fairy-tale character Snow White. Moss engages with Snow White not just as a fictional character but as a cultural symbol of whiteness and purity, thereby creating a platform to challenge the race-based standards that pervade society.

The poem begins with an evocative image: "Snow White was nude at her wedding, she's so white / the gown seemed to disappear when she put it on." The poet immediately sets up the contrast between the fairness of Snow White and the racialized body of the speaker. By stating that Snow White is "so white" that her gown appears invisible, Moss suggests that whiteness is often considered a default state, a blank canvas against which other colors (and races) are measured.

"Put me beside her and the proximity is good / for a study of chiaroscuro, not much else," the speaker adds, pointing out that standing next to Snow White, she becomes a mere prop for a study of light and shadow. The term "chiaroscuro," derived from Renaissance art, highlights the focus on the play of light and dark and suggests a static, two-dimensional view of their juxtaposition. The speaker's identity, then, is reduced to a mere "shadow," a secondary existence that accentuates Snow White's luminosity.

The issue of naming and labels is explored as the speaker states, "Her name aggravates me most, as if I need to be told / what's white and what isn't." The name "Snow White" is not just a moniker but a racial descriptor, a standard against which the speaker is compared and found lacking. The speaker resents this kind of naming, especially because it relegates her to a place "forever at her heels," in a "shadow's constant worship."

Moss introduces the concept of shifting paradigms with, "Turning the tables isn't fair unless they keep turning." This implies that change must be ongoing for real transformation. The "danger of Russian roulette" is evoked, a game of chance and risk, indicating that without societal shift, the speaker remains disadvantaged.

The speaker ends by expressing the emptiness she feels in a world that places her in a secondary position due to her race: "I am the empty space where the tooth was, that my tongue / rushes to fill because I can't stand vacancies." This void is physical, emotional, and societal. The speaker feels unnamed and incomplete: "nothing falls from the sky / to name me."

In conclusion, "Lessons from a Mirror" is a poignant commentary on how race and identity are socially constructed and maintained. It challenges the audience to confront their prejudices and to reconsider the frameworks within which we understand and evaluate each other. Moss intricately weaves together personal feelings of inadequacy and cultural critique, producing a work that is both deeply emotional and intellectually stimulating. Structurally, the poem is free verse, allowing Moss the flexibility to mirror the complexities of her subject matter. By reimagining the story of Snow White as a site of racial tension, Moss creates a compelling critique of the fairy-tale narratives that subtly perpetuate racial inequalities.

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