Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy's poem "At the New Moon: Rosh Hodesh" reclaims and reinterprets the ancient Jewish holiday of Rosh Hodesh, traditionally a minor celebration for women, transforming it into a powerful symbol of female creativity, resilience, and spiritual renewal. Through rich imagery and historical context, Piercy elevates this observance from a forgotten tradition to a vibrant, evolving practice that empowers women.

The poem opens by tracing the evolution of Rosh Hodesh, highlighting its shifting significance over time. Initially, it was "a two day holiday, the most sacred stretches in the slow swing of the epicycling year." This description underscores its ancient importance as a deeply revered time. However, as the centuries passed, its prominence diminished, becoming "a half holiday for women, a little something to keep us less unsatisfied," and eventually being "abandoned at enlightenment along with herbals and amulets, bobbe-mysehs, grandmothers' stories." This progression reflects the gradual erosion of many traditional practices, particularly those associated with women's spirituality.

Piercy then presents a powerful act of reclamation: "Now we fetch it up from the bottom of the harbor, a bone on which the water has etched itself." This image of retrieving a bone from the depths suggests a resurrection of the past, a recovery of something valuable and essential that had been submerged and forgotten. The bone, marked by the passage of time and the elements, is transformed into a bird, symbolizing rebirth and new possibilities: "and from this bone we fashion a bird, extinct and never yet born, evolving feathers from our hair, blood from our salt, strength from our backs, vision from our brains."

This bird, representing the rebirth of Rosh Hodesh, is imbued with qualities derived from women's experiences and attributes: "feathers from our hair, blood from our salt, strength from our backs, vision from our brains." The bird's creation is a collective effort, symbolizing the power of women coming together to forge something new and meaningful. The bird is a "dove of the light, owl of the moon," combining symbols of peace and wisdom, and it takes flight over the city, its wings "woven from our longings, diaphanous and bony."

Piercy acknowledges the historical limitations placed on women, noting that "Pilots and rabbis soared. The only females to fly were witches and demons, the power to endure and the power to destroy alone granted us." This line underscores the historical exclusion of women from roles of spiritual and intellectual leadership, relegating them to figures of fear or subversion. However, Piercy asserts that women possess the power to "invent, can make, can do, undo," highlighting their creative and transformative potential.

The poem culminates in a vision of women standing in a circle, a powerful and ancient symbol of unity and continuity: "Here we stand in a circle, the oldest meeting, the shape women assume when we come together." This circle represents the natural and spiritual cycles, echoing the shapes of "the flower, the mouth, breast, opening, pool, the source." These shapes symbolize femininity, life-giving forces, and the interconnectedness of all women.

In "At the New Moon: Rosh Hodesh," Marge Piercy celebrates the reclamation and reinvention of a traditional practice, transforming it into a modern symbol of female empowerment and creativity. Through evocative imagery and a deep understanding of historical context, Piercy elevates Rosh Hodesh from a neglected tradition to a vibrant, living practice that honors women's strength, resilience, and spiritual insight. The poem calls on women to recognize their inherent power and to come together to create and transform their world.

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