Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Practicing" is a reflective meditation on the passage of time, the cycles of growth and learning within a family, and the enduring influence of parental guidance and legacy. The poem poignantly captures the intersection of past and present, as the speaker observes her adult son playing the piano, an activity that symbolizes both the culmination of years of practice and the continuation of familial tradition.

The poem begins with a simple yet powerful statement: "My son is practicing the piano." This line immediately sets the scene and introduces the central image of the poem—the son, now an adult, engaging in an activity that once required the guidance and insistence of his mother. The speaker recalls the time when her son was a boy, and she "sat through" his piano lessons, enforcing the "reluctant practicing" that she felt was necessary for his development. The phrase "part of the obligation / I felt to the growth / and composition of a child" reveals the speaker's sense of duty as a parent, emphasizing that her insistence on practice was not merely about learning music but about contributing to the overall growth and "composition" of her son's character and future.

The poem then shifts to the present, where the speaker's grandchildren are "sleeping" upstairs, though earlier they "complained...of the music / which rises like smoke up through the floorboards, / coloring the fabric of their dreams." This imagery of music rising "like smoke" suggests that the sound is pervasive, subtly influencing the environment and the subconscious minds of the sleeping children. The idea that the music "colors the fabric of their dreams" adds a layer of depth to the poem, indicating that the legacy of music and the discipline it represents is being passed down to the next generation, even as they resist or are unaware of it.

The speaker's husband, meanwhile, is "on the porch...watching the garden fade / into summer twilight, flower by flower." This image of the garden fading into twilight parallels the "fading / diminuendo notes of Mozart," drawing a connection between the natural world and the art of music. The fading flowers and music both evoke a sense of time passing, of beauty and vibrancy gradually diminishing as night falls. This comparison deepens the poem's exploration of temporality and the bittersweet nature of witnessing the passage of time in both life and art.

In the final stanza, the speaker brings the focus back to the dining room, where "the table / has been pushed aside to make room / for this second or third-hand upright." This detail highlights the adjustments and sacrifices made to accommodate the son's continued engagement with music, suggesting that the pursuit of art requires both physical and metaphorical space. The piano, "second or third-hand," symbolizes the continuity of tradition and the way objects—like music—carry with them the histories of those who have used them before.

The poem concludes with a powerful reflection on the son's journey: "my son is playing the kind of music / it took him all these years, / and sons of his own, to want to make." This line encapsulates the central theme of the poem—the idea that the son's current practice and love of music are the result of a long process of maturation, one that involved not only his own growth but also the influence of becoming a parent himself. The music he now plays is not just a skill he has mastered but an expression of something deeper, something that he has come to appreciate and desire over the years. The reference to his "sons of his own" emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and learning, as the son who once needed guidance is now a father, passing on the values and traditions he has inherited.

"Practicing" is a beautifully crafted poem that explores the complexities of family, memory, and the enduring impact of parental influence. Through its rich imagery and reflective tone, the poem captures the way in which the past shapes the present, and how the act of practicing—whether it be music, parenting, or life itself—continues to resonate across generations. Pastan's portrayal of the son’s journey from reluctant student to a mature musician serves as a testament to the importance of persistence, love, and the quiet, often unnoticed moments that contribute to the growth of both individuals and families.

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