Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Her Pet" by Thom Gunn is a reflective and layered poem that intertwines the narrator's present experience with the contemplation of a historical figure and her relationship with her pet dog, immortalized in a marble tomb. Through its intricate descriptions and introspective tone, the poem explores themes of dignity, strength, mortality, and the intimate bond between humans and their animals.

The poem opens with the narrator's mundane activities: "I walk the floor, read, watch a cop-show, drink, / Hear buses heave uphill through drizzling fog," setting a scene of restless idleness. The mundane actions contrast with the deep contemplations that follow as the narrator turns to a "pictured book" featuring Valentine Balbiani and her dog.

The marble effigy of Valentine Balbiani captures a moment of serene poise: "She is reclining, reading, on her tomb; / But pounced, it tries to intercept her look, / Its front paws on her lap, as in this room / The cat attempts to nose beneath my book." This comparison between the historical scene and the narrator's present moment with a cat creates a bridge between past and present, linking the timeless nature of human-animal interactions.

Valentine's physical features and attire are described with precision: "Her curls tight, breasts held by her bodice high, / Ruff crisp, mouth calm, hands long and delicate." These details emphasize her composed and dignified appearance. Her "strength so lavish she can limit it" speaks to her controlled and measured demeanor, suggesting an inner power that is consciously restrained.

The poem delves deeper into the significance of Valentine not acknowledging her pet's attempt to catch her eye: "She will not let her pet dog catch her eye / For dignity, and for a touch of wit." This restraint reflects her desire to maintain a sense of decorum and perhaps an intellectual superiority, even in the intimate presence of her pet.

The narrative shifts to another part of the tomb, depicting Valentine without her dog: "Below, from the same tomb, is reproduced / A side-relief, in which she reappears / Without her dog, and everything is loosed." Here, Valentine is portrayed in a more vulnerable state, with her hair down and her "big ears" and "creased face genderless." The unbound dress and the visible signs of age and gender neutrality contrast sharply with the earlier image of controlled elegance.

Gunn uses these contrasting images to explore the theme of mortality and the stripping away of life's facade: "Death is so plain! / Her breasts are low knobs through the unbound dress. / In the worked features I can read the pain / She went through to get here, to shake it all." The transition from strength to the acceptance of pain and mortality is stark and poignant.

Valentine's journey from a belief in her "full nimble strength" to the realization that it was an illusion underscores the inevitability of human vulnerability: "Thinking at first that her full nimble strength / Hid like a little dog within recall, / Till to think so, she knew, was to pretend." Her ultimate acceptance of pain and her labor to bring it to an end speaks to a profound understanding and acceptance of her mortality.

"Her Pet" by Thom Gunn is a meditation on the passage of time, the nature of strength and dignity, and the intimate connections between humans and their pets. Through the juxtaposition of historical imagery and present-day reflections, Gunn captures the complexities of human existence and the inevitable journey towards accepting our vulnerabilities and mortality. The poem's rich descriptions and contemplative tone invite readers to reflect on their own relationships and the ways in which they confront the realities of life and death.

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