Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alicia Suskin Ostriker's poem "Demeter to Persephone" presents a contemporary and raw interpretation of the ancient Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, reimagining the myth through a modern lens. The poem captures the complex emotions of a mother (Demeter) who has waited anxiously for the return of her daughter (Persephone) from the underworld. It emphasizes the tension between the maternal instinct to protect and the inevitable transformation that Persephone undergoes, highlighting the loss of innocence and the complicated dynamics of their reunion.

The opening line, "I watched you walking up out of that hole," immediately places the reader in the position of Demeter, who has been vigilantly awaiting Persephone’s return from Hades. The image of Persephone emerging from a "hole" evokes not only the physical act of rising from the underworld but also suggests a sense of deep, possibly traumatic experience from which she is returning. This line sets the tone for a poem that is as much about the emotional distance that has grown between mother and daughter as it is about their physical reunion.

Ostriker vividly describes the setting as a "field in Southern Italy," where it has been "raining all day," the rain "beating down" and "hissing down on rocks." The use of rain here is significant—it can symbolize purification, but in this context, it seems to evoke a relentless, punishing force from a "sky enraged." This imagery suggests that the world itself is in turmoil, reflecting Demeter’s own emotional state as she waits for her daughter. The rain, with its aggressive and unyielding nature, mirrors the intensity of Demeter’s feelings.

When Persephone finally emerges, she is "immediately soaked," a physical manifestation of her exposure to the harsh elements of the world she has returned from. Demeter's observation that Persephone "stared at me without love in your large eyes" is a painful acknowledgment of the transformation her daughter has undergone. The "large eyes" filled with "black sex and white powder" evoke images of darkness and corruption, possibly alluding to the experiences Persephone has had in the underworld—experiences that have stripped away her innocence and left her emotionally distant from her mother.

The poem then shifts to Demeter's resigned acceptance of this transformation, as she states, "but this is what I expected when I embraced you." This line underscores the inevitability of Persephone’s change—Demeter knew that her daughter would not return the same as when she left. The contrast between "your firm little breasts" and Demeter's "amplitude" captures the tension between Persephone's youthful defiance and Demeter's mature, nurturing presence. The embrace is not just physical; it is an attempt by Demeter to reclaim and protect her daughter, despite the changes that have occurred.

The poem concludes with Demeter's command, "Get in the car I said / and then it was spring." This abrupt shift from the intensity of the previous lines to the simple act of getting into a car is jarring and yet deeply poignant. The car, a modern-day chariot, symbolizes the transition from the underworld back to the world of the living. The final phrase, "and then it was spring," suggests a return to life, renewal, and the cyclical nature of their relationship. However, the simplicity of this resolution belies the complexities of what has just transpired—the spring that arrives is not the same as it was before, just as Persephone is not the same person who descended into the underworld.

In "Demeter to Persephone," Ostriker deftly explores themes of maternal love, loss, and the inevitability of change. The poem resonates with the timelessness of the myth while imbuing it with contemporary sensibilities. Through vivid imagery and a nuanced understanding of the mother-daughter bond, Ostriker captures the bittersweet nature of reunion—where love persists, but innocence is irrevocably lost.

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