Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Mark Strand’s "So You Say" is a brief but profound exploration of perception, time, and the interplay between the internal and external worlds. The poem’s simplicity of language belies its philosophical depth, as it reflects on the mind’s capacity to shape reality and the inevitability of change.

The opening line, “It is all in the mind, you say, and has / nothing to do with happiness,” introduces the central tension of the poem: the distinction between the subjective realm of thought and the tangible experience of emotion or external events. The declarative statement attributed to “you” suggests a certain detachment, as if happiness and the sensory world are secondary to the dominion of the mind. Yet this assertion carries an undercurrent of skepticism. Is everything truly “in the mind”? Or does the phrase reflect a resignation to the mind’s overwhelming influence, even when it alienates us from happiness?

Strand juxtaposes the natural cycles of “the coming of cold, / the coming of heat” with the mind’s boundless temporality. These seasonal shifts, indifferent and inevitable, contrast with the mind’s perception of having “all the time in the world.” The phrasing suggests the mind’s arrogance or illusion of control, as though it can transcend the physical rhythms of existence. Yet this idea is tempered by the sense that the mind is, in fact, bound to these cycles, interpreting and reinterpreting them endlessly.

The second half of the poem shifts into a more intimate register, as the speaker recounts being taken by the arm and reassured: “something will happen, / something unusual for which we were always prepared.” This gesture of physical connection introduces a human warmth absent from the earlier, more cerebral reflections. The phrase “always prepared” evokes a paradoxical readiness for the unexpected, as if life’s uncertainties are, in their own way, predictable. This tension between certainty and uncertainty underpins the poem’s exploration of the human condition.

Strand uses celestial imagery to frame this dynamic. The arrival of the sun “after a day in Asia” and the departure of the moon “after a night with us” highlight the universal and cyclical nature of time. These movements are vast and impersonal, yet they acquire a sense of intimacy in the poem, as if the speaker and the unnamed “you” are uniquely attuned to these cosmic rhythms. The sun’s journey and the moon’s retreat become metaphors for the passage of time and the inevitability of change, emphasizing the delicate balance between permanence and impermanence.

The poem’s sparseness is key to its effect. Strand avoids excess, distilling his meditation into a few evocative images and phrases. The conversational tone of the title and opening lines draws the reader into a dialogue that feels both personal and universal. The final images of the sun and moon lend the poem a sense of quiet resolution, suggesting that while the mind may grapple with uncertainty, there is a larger order to which we are all connected.

So You Say invites reflection on the interplay between thought and experience, the predictable and the unexpected, the individual and the cosmic. Through its minimalist style and understated poignancy, it captures the essence of a moment suspended between assurance and mystery, reminding us of the beauty and inevitability of life’s rhythms.

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