Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy's poem "Available Light" is an intricate and deeply reflective exploration of personal history, identity, and the natural world. Through vivid imagery and introspective musings, Piercy delves into the complexity of human existence, the passage of time, and the ever-changing nature of our inner and outer landscapes.

The poem begins with a sensory-rich description of mature appetites: "Ripe and runny as perfect Brie, at this age appetites mature rampant and allowed." This metaphor of ripeness and indulgence sets the tone for a contemplation of life's fullness and the embrace of one's desires. The speaker describes a duality in their experience: being "wet as a salt marsh under the flood tide of the full solstice moon" and "dry as salt itself." This juxtaposition of wetness and dryness reflects the paradoxical nature of human emotions and experiences—rich and abundant, yet also capable of extracting and preserving.

Piercy's self-awareness is profound: "I know myself as I know the four miles I walk every morning." The morning walks symbolize routine and familiarity, yet the sky is ever-changing, representing the fluidity of life and the constancy of change. The speaker acknowledges that there are parts of themselves they will never fully understand: "rooms upon caverns opening off corridors I will never enter." This recognition of the unknown aspects of the self highlights the complexity and depth of human identity.

The poem weaves through various stages of the speaker's life, each marked by significant memories: "I am six with my mother watching Clippers take off for Lisbon," "I am twelve and coming while I mutter yes," "I am twenty-four as my best friend bleeds her life out." These memories are vivid and specific, illustrating the impact of personal history on the present self. The imagery of "finding new beings in me like otters swimming in the soup" suggests that the self is constantly evolving and discovering new facets.

Piercy reflects on the beliefs and ideologies that friends have committed to: "Marx, to Freud, to A.A., to Christianity or Buddhism or Goddess religions." As a Jew, the speaker's relationship with God is one of continuous self-return: "a god who returns me to myself uncleaned, to be used again." This cyclical process of self-examination and renewal is contrasted with the permanence of natural consequences: "consequences show their lengthened teeth from the receding gums."

The poem shifts to a meditation on the natural world, encompassing both its vastness and its minutiae: "the dark river percolating through the sea-built rock, the dense memories of shell and sediment." The imagery of "the warm funky breath of Leviathan" and "people in boots struggling to shove the pilot whales free" captures the interplay of human and natural forces. Winter's light, described as "red and short," symbolizes the fleeting and fragile nature of time.

As the day progresses and night falls, the speaker's engagement with the world deepens: "Later when the moon has set I go out and let the spears of Sirius and Rigel pierce the ivory of my skull." This celestial imagery underscores the connection between the personal and the cosmic, suggesting a profound unity between the self and the universe. The presence of animals—an owl, a skunk, a weasel—adds a layer of immediacy and vitality to the winter landscape.

In the concluding lines, Piercy emphasizes the richness and complexity of even the harshest seasons: "Even the dead of winter: it seethes with more than I can ever live to name and speak." This recognition of the abundance and mystery of life, even in its most challenging moments, encapsulates the poem's overarching theme of embracing the fullness of existence.

"Available Light" by Marge Piercy is a deeply contemplative poem that explores the intersections of personal history, identity, and the natural world. Through rich imagery and introspective narrative, Piercy invites readers to reflect on the complexity of their own lives and the ever-changing, multifaceted nature of existence.

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