Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alicia Suskin Ostriker's poem "May Rain, Princeton" captures the vibrant renewal of life during a spring rainstorm, intertwining the lush imagery of nature with a deeply personal and sensual response to the environment. The poem weaves together the external world of a rainy Princeton afternoon with the internal landscape of the speaker's emotions, creating a rich tapestry of connections between the natural world and human experience.

The poem opens with the lush green of "luminous maples" that "preen, / Swaying like girls at a prom / Waiting to be asked to dance." This simile imbues the trees with a sense of youthful anticipation, as if they are participants in a larger, almost ritualistic celebration of spring. The use of the word "preen" suggests not only the trees' beauty but also their confidence and readiness to take part in the seasonal dance. The comparison to girls at a prom introduces a human element to the natural scene, linking the vitality of the trees to the excitement and hopefulness of youth.

As the poem continues, Ostriker shifts focus to the details of the garden: bird feeders needing "daily refilling" and azaleas that "enhance their orange and fuchsia tints." These images highlight the abundance and energy of the season, with the flowers and birds requiring constant attention as they burst into full bloom. The rhododendrons, "puckered dryly inside / Their big buds," are on the verge of blossoming, symbolizing the promise of life and the unstoppable force of growth as they "force themselves out."

The imagery of apple blossoms lying in "shallow pools / At the feet of their trunks" adds a delicate, almost melancholic touch to the scene, as the fallen petals signify both beauty and the inevitable passage of time. This transient moment is framed by the "relentless pouring rain" that "soaks the ground" and "beats the roofs," emphasizing the power and persistence of nature. The rain, with its "rat-tat" rhythm, is depicted as a force of renewal, racing "down the gutters" and saturating the landscape.

Ostriker then expands the scope of the poem, imagining the rain as it falls into the Hudson River, around "scows and barges," and "splashing the yellow slickers of road crews." This broader vision connects the intimate, localized experience of rain in Princeton to the larger world beyond, suggesting a universality to the storm and its effects. The rain becomes a unifying element, touching both urban and rural landscapes, from rivers and industrial sites to farms and towns stretched out across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

In a striking shift, the speaker then imagines herself as the landscape, "flat on my back looking up at a gray sky." This moment of identification with the earth itself represents a deep, almost spiritual connection to the natural world. The speaker becomes one with the land, feeling the rain as it "batter[s]" her, experiencing the cleansing and invigorating effects of the storm. The imagery here is tactile and intimate, as the rain "pocking my skin" evokes the physical sensation of being exposed to the elements, emphasizing the primal, life-affirming force of nature.

The poem concludes with a powerful and unexpected simile: "Good, good, like sex after childbirth / When the body is keen / For pleasure again." This comparison ties the cleansing, renewing power of the rain to the physical and emotional rejuvenation that follows childbirth. The speaker's reference to this moment of renewed desire and pleasure after the intense experience of giving birth captures the profound sense of relief and joy that comes with the return to a more carefree, life-affirming state. The repetition of "good" underscores the speaker's satisfaction and contentment, suggesting that the rain, like post-childbirth intimacy, is both a necessary release and a return to vitality.

"May Rain, Princeton" is a celebration of the dynamic and renewing forces of nature, seen through the lens of both the external environment and the speaker's personal experience. Through vivid imagery and a sensuous exploration of the connections between nature and the body, Ostriker creates a poem that resonates with the themes of renewal, growth, and the cyclical nature of life. The poem invites the reader to consider how deeply intertwined we are with the natural world, and how, like the land, we too are subject to the forces of renewal and transformation.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...