Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Short Story" is a reflective meditation on the passage of time, the inevitable fading of life's central figures, and the slow unraveling of narrative coherence as one approaches the end of life. The poem's structure, which mimics the brevity and conciseness of a short story, allows Pastan to explore themes of loss, impermanence, and the absence of resolution in a way that is both poignant and understated.

The poem begins with a stark observation: "In the short story that is my life / the mother and the father who were there from the beginning / have started to disappear." Here, the speaker frames their life as a "short story," emphasizing its brevity and the way significant characters—specifically the mother and father—are gradually fading from the narrative. This disappearance is a powerful metaphor for the aging process and the loss of parents, who are often central figures in the story of one's life. The use of "started to disappear" suggests an ongoing process, a slow and inevitable erasure that leaves the speaker contemplating the void left behind.

The poem then shifts focus to the "lover," who "repeats his one line." This repetition implies a stagnation or lack of development in the relationship, as if the lover's role in the speaker's life has become predictable and static. The line "and the plot instead of thickening as it might, / thins almost to blank paper" further reinforces the sense of a narrative unraveling. Instead of the complexities and deepening connections that one might expect as life progresses, the story is losing substance, its events and relationships fading into insignificance.

Pastan continues with a striking admission: "There is no epiphany." This line challenges the traditional structure of a short story, where a moment of realization or revelation often serves as a climactic point. In contrast, the speaker's life lacks this dramatic moment of insight, suggesting a more mundane, perhaps even disappointing, reality. The absence of an epiphany underscores the poem's theme of life's quiet, unremarkable progression toward an uncertain end.

The mention of "an animal whose cry seemed symbolic" introduces a potential symbol or moment of meaning, but this too is dismissed as the animal "has lapped its milk and gone quietly to sleep." This image of the animal, which could have represented something deeper or more significant, instead resolves into a simple, everyday act, reinforcing the poem's theme of the ordinary and the unspectacular. The potential for symbolism or meaning is downplayed, suggesting that life's mysteries remain unsolved, and its symbols are often mundane rather than profound.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the passing of time: "And though there is room for a brief descriptive passage / (perhaps a snowfall, some stiffening of the weather) / already it is dark on the other side of the page." The "brief descriptive passage" refers to the possibility of adding a small detail to the story—something like a snowfall or a change in weather, both of which are traditional literary symbols of change, coldness, or the passage of time. However, the speaker quickly notes that "already it is dark on the other side of the page," implying that time is running out, and the story is nearing its end. The darkness suggests not only the literal end of the day but also the figurative end of life, where the narrative is about to close, leaving little room for further elaboration or new developments.

"Short Story" is a contemplative poem that examines the natural decline of life and relationships, the fading of meaning and significance, and the approach of an inevitable ending. Pastan's use of the short story as a metaphor for life allows her to explore the themes of impermanence and the absence of resolution with a quiet, resigned tone. The poem captures the reality that not all lives end with dramatic conclusions or epiphanies; instead, they often fade gently, with the story thinning out as it approaches its final, dark page.

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