Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"My Mother Comes from the Days" by Yehuda Amichai is a reflective poem that explores the notions of simplicity, life’s journey, and the contemplation of mortality. The poem contrasts the straightforward, unassuming past with the complexity of the present, inviting the reader to ponder the nature of life and death.

The opening line, "My mother comes from the days when they made paintings of beautiful fruit in silver bowls and didn't ask for more," immediately sets a tone of nostalgia. It evokes an era of simplicity and contentment, a time when people were satisfied with the beauty of ordinary things, symbolized by the image of fruit in silver bowls. This simplicity is further emphasized by the comparison to ships moving "with the wind or against it, faithful to their course." This metaphor suggests a life lived with acceptance and steadiness, unburdened by the complexities of modern existence.

The poem then shifts to the narrator's introspection, "I ask myself which is better, dying old or dying young." This rhetorical question introduces the theme of mortality, pondering the value and impact of a life’s length. The comparison of dying old versus dying young is likened to weighing "a pound of feathers or a pound of iron," implying that the question might be more about perception than actual difference in weight or value.

The final desire for "feathers, feathers, feathers" signifies a longing for lightness, perhaps a yearning for the simplicity and unburdened existence of the past, as embodied by the mother’s era. It reflects a wish to live a life that is not weighed down by the complexities and heaviness of modern life's challenges.

In summary, "My Mother Comes from the Days" is a poignant meditation on the past, the nature of life's journey, and the existential questions surrounding life and death. Amichai uses vivid imagery and metaphor to invite the reader into a contemplation of what constitutes a fulfilling life, suggesting a yearning for a return to a simpler, more straightforward way of living.

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