Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"How Beautiful" by Mary Jo Bang is a contemplative and visually rich poem that explores themes of perspective, time, and transformation. Through the motif of a "personal lens," Bang reflects on the ways in which individuals perceive and make sense of the world, interweaving elements of memory, dream, and existential realization.

The opening lines introduce the concept of the "personal lens: glass bending rays" as a metaphor for individual perception, shaping how one sees and interprets the daily unfolding of life. This lens provides "that day’s news," a phrase that suggests both the literal intake of information and the broader, subjective experience of reality as filtered through personal understanding.

The reminder that "you are standing / On a planet that’s evolving" situates the human experience within the vast, ongoing process of Earth's natural history. This perspective imbues the poem with a sense of wonder and humility, emphasizing the beauty and awe that come from recognizing one's place in the larger scheme of existence.

The phrase "what distance does / For water, the view from above or afar" suggests the transformative effect of perspective on perception, highlighting the way physical and emotional distance can alter one's understanding or appreciation of something as ubiquitous as water.

The transition to a dream sequence, "In last night’s dream, they were back again / At the beginning," introduces a temporal shift that blurs the lines between past and present, dream and reality. The imagery of being "a child" alongside another child evokes a sense of innocence and nascent potential, a time before the complexities and burdens of adulthood.

The arrival and departure of a plane, leaving the speaker "there," introduces a sense of abandonment and exposure, underscored by the "Cold whitening the white sky whiter." This chilling landscape serves as a backdrop to a moment of vulnerability and transformation.

The poem culminates in a striking and ambiguous image: "Then a scalpel cut her open for all the world / To be a sea." This line suggests a radical opening or revelation, transforming the speaker into a vast, encompassing sea. This transformation can be interpreted in multiple ways: as an act of violence leading to exposure, as a metaphor for emotional or creative release, or as a symbol of unity with the natural world.

"How Beautiful" is a multi-layered meditation on the interplay between personal and cosmic scales, the fluidity of time and memory, and the capacity for beauty and transformation within the human experience. Mary Jo Bang masterfully combines vivid imagery with philosophical reflection, inviting readers to consider their own perspectives and the continual evolution of the world around them.

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