Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Pain" is a powerful exploration of the inescapable, all-consuming nature of physical and emotional suffering. Through vivid imagery and a tone of resignation, the poem personifies pain as a relentless and intimate companion, reflecting on its ability to overshadow every aspect of existence.

The poem opens with a striking assertion: "More faithful / than lover or husband it cleaves to you, calling itself by your name as if there had been a ceremony." Here, pain is depicted as an unwavering presence, more constant and loyal than any human relationship. The use of the word "cleaves" suggests both attachment and separation, as pain both adheres to the speaker and divides them from their former self. By "calling itself by your name," pain is given a personhood, becoming an inseparable part of the speaker's identity. The reference to a "ceremony" implies a bond that is as binding as marriage, though far more sinister—pain is not something chosen or desired, but it becomes a permanent part of the speaker's life.

As the poem continues, Pastan describes the nightly struggle with pain: "At night you turn and turn searching for the one bearable position, / but though you may finally sleep it wakens ahead of you." The restless search for comfort, for a position that might bring relief, underscores the pervasive and intrusive nature of pain. Even sleep, often a refuge from the day's troubles, is not immune to pain's influence. The idea that pain "wakens ahead of you" suggests that it is always present, always one step ahead, preventing any true rest or escape.

The weight of pain is further emphasized in the following lines: "How heavy it is, displacing with its volume your very breath. / Before, you seemed to weigh nothing, your arms might have been wings." Pain is described as a tangible, oppressive force that alters the very experience of the body. The metaphor of pain "displacing" breath captures its suffocating effect, as if it occupies the space that once allowed for ease and lightness. The contrast between the past—when the speaker "seemed to weigh nothing" and their arms "might have been wings"—and the present, where even "each finger adds its measure," highlights the profound transformation that pain has wrought. What was once effortless and free has become burdensome, weighed down by the relentless presence of suffering.

The poem concludes with a haunting reflection: "And if your life should disappear ahead of you you would not run after it." This final line conveys a deep sense of despair and resignation. The idea of life "disappearing ahead" suggests a detachment from the vitality and purpose that once drove the speaker. The statement that they "would not run after it" reveals the extent to which pain has drained the speaker's will to continue, their desire to pursue life and all it entails. It is a surrender, an acknowledgment that the constant presence of pain has eroded the drive to chase after what once mattered.

"Pain" is a stark and evocative portrayal of the overwhelming power of suffering. Through its imagery and structure, the poem captures the way pain can become an intrinsic part of one's identity, altering not only the body but also the mind and spirit. Pastan's use of personification turns pain into a relentless, ever-present companion, highlighting the deep and often unspoken struggle of living with chronic pain. The poem ultimately conveys the weight of this experience—the way it transforms every aspect of life, leaving the sufferer in a state of perpetual struggle and resignation.

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