Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Irving Feldman's poem "How Wonderful" explores the complexities and paradoxes of communication, understanding, and self-acceptance. Feldman masterfully delves into both the joy and frustration of being understood and misunderstood, crafting a meditation on the nature of self-expression, perception, and identity.

The poem opens with an exclamation of joy: "How wonderful to be understood," inviting readers to share in the speaker's appreciation of clear communication. Feldman emphasizes this sense of relief with the phrase "to just sit here," suggesting the bliss of passive comprehension where a "kind person / relieves you of the awful burden / of having to explain yourself." This initial idea, that of having someone articulate your thoughts perfectly, offers solace to the speaker, who revels in being understood without having to struggle for words.

However, this relief is short-lived. Feldman nuances the seemingly idyllic moment by acknowledging the challenges inherent in self-expression: "or what you think you thought you meant, / and of the worse burden of finding no words." Here, he captures the inherent ambiguity and imprecision of language. Despite the joy of finding "just the right words," there remains a level of uncertainty and imperfection in articulating one's true thoughts and emotions.

The poem’s first section concludes with a vivid metaphor that likens the experience of understanding to "literate light, in which / your merely lucid blossoming grows lustrous." This metaphor conveys the transformative power of comprehension, where understanding illuminates and enhances one's expression.

Feldman then shifts to an exploration of the opposing state: "And how altogether wonderful it is / not to be understood, not at all." The repetition of "how wonderful" creates a paradox, as the speaker embraces the pleasure of being misunderstood. This section is steeped in irony as the speaker describes the experience of listening to "someone not unkindly / saying those impossibly wrong things." The speaker graciously allows others their misinterpretations, recognizing that "it would be conceit not to let it pass, / unkindness, really, to spoil someone’s fun."

The metaphor of "umbrage / of those high murmurings over your head" evokes the image of misunderstood words flying overhead like leaves in the wind, out of reach and ultimately inconsequential. The speaker finds solace in this misunderstanding, as it provides the freedom to "be quietly yourself, / like a root growing wise in darkness."

Feldman’s imagery here is profound. The metaphor of the root, growing unseen beneath the "light litter, the falling words," emphasizes the value of internal growth and wisdom that occurs outside the realm of external validation or comprehension. The metaphor encapsulates the paradox that sometimes misunderstanding can lead to greater self-awareness.

Structurally, "How Wonderful" is divided into two distinct sections, each dedicated to one of the titular paradoxes: being understood and being misunderstood. The free verse structure gives the poem a conversational tone, with enjambment enhancing the flow of thought and emotion. Feldman’s language is both lyrical and precise, capturing the nuances of communication through evocative metaphors and contrasting imagery.

Overall, "How Wonderful" is a richly layered exploration of the human desire for understanding and the liberation found in accepting the limits of communication. Feldman deftly balances irony and sincerity, presenting both understanding and misunderstanding as states capable of yielding insight, personal growth, and contentment. The poem’s central paradox—that it is wonderful to be understood and equally wonderful not to be understood—reflects the intricacies of human relationships and the varied ways in which we find meaning and acceptance.

Through "How Wonderful", Feldman ultimately invites readers to embrace both the clarity and ambiguity of communication, finding joy in the interplay of light and darkness that characterizes human connection.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...