Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "My Achilles Son" delves into themes of vulnerability, motherhood, and the enduring bonds between a mother and her child. Through the lens of mythological references, domestic imagery, and a sense of lingering unease, the poem explores the complexities of maternal love, particularly the deep, often painful connection that persists even as the child grows and distances himself from the mother.

The poem opens with the speaker reflecting on her "Achilles son," who once "clutched me / by the heel as I worked to make myself invulnerable." This reference to the myth of Achilles, whose only vulnerable spot was his heel, immediately sets up the dual themes of strength and vulnerability. The son, like Achilles, represents both a source of great power and a potential point of weakness for the mother. The act of the son clinging to her heel while she attempts to make herself "invulnerable" suggests that the very act of motherhood exposes her to vulnerabilities she cannot fully protect herself from. This bond, while strong, is also her Achilles' heel, a source of potential pain and loss.

The poem then shifts to a scene of domesticity, where the speaker is "sulking / in the stove's half light," engaging in the mundane tasks of bruising herbs, watching dough rise, and rearranging dust. These tasks, associated with traditional feminine roles, highlight the routine and sometimes isolating aspects of domestic life. The son is "at my feet," a constant presence, anchoring her to this life even as she grapples with the weight of her responsibilities and the subtle disappointments that come with them. The phrase "Those fires are salted down" implies that the passions and struggles of that time have been subdued or suppressed, perhaps through the passage of time or the resignation that comes with acceptance.

As the poem progresses, the speaker's hands "remember only the spell of wool," indicating a shift from the active, heated tasks of cooking to the more contemplative and repetitive act of knitting. Knitting, often seen as a meditative and protective act, symbolizes the mother's desire to create warmth and comfort, to cover the "winter fields" with "squares of knitting." This imagery of covering the cold, barren fields suggests a desire to shield and protect, much like a mother protecting her child. The speaker imagines herself lying down under these squares, seeking rest and solace in the very things she has created. Yet, the phrase "Nothing is left to happen" carries a sense of finality, as if the speaker believes that the most significant events of her life are behind her, leaving her in a state of waiting or stasis.

However, this sense of finality is disrupted by the persistence of her son's voice, which "still keeps me like an arrow from my proper rest." The son's voice, described as an arrow, is sharp and piercing, preventing the speaker from finding peace. The reference to "the once dropped stitch, the charred loaf, the old disinheritance of second sons" evokes a series of past mistakes or regrets, moments where things went wrong or where the speaker failed in some way. These memories, small but significant, continue to haunt her, keeping her awake and unsettled. The "disinheritance of second sons" likely alludes to the biblical story of Esau and Jacob, where the second son is often the one overlooked or undervalued, adding a layer of familial tension and unresolved conflict to the poem.

The poem's final lines evoke a sense of dread and anxiety as the speaker describes "lean[ing] against the heavy shoulder of sleep," only to be interrupted by a ringing phone and the disembodied voice of her son. The phone call, a symbol of connection but also of distance and uncertainty, brings with it "a buzz / on the line between us," which hints at a deeper disconnection or miscommunication. The "whole murderous hive of possibilities" that the buzz represents suggests the endless array of worries and fears that plague the speaker, the potential for harm or tragedy that looms over every interaction with her son.

"My Achilles Son" is a poignant reflection on the enduring, complex relationship between a mother and her child. Through its rich imagery and allusions to myth and domestic life, the poem captures the tension between love and vulnerability, the way that a mother's deep bond with her child can be both a source of strength and a cause of profound anxiety. Pastan's careful attention to the emotional nuances of motherhood, the regrets and the fears that accompany it, makes this poem a powerful exploration of the human condition, where love and worry are inseparably intertwined.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...