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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Statue of the Blessed Virgin, Carved in Ivory" by Daniel Berrigan is a complex and evocative poem that delves into themes of divinity, human nature, and the passage of time through the lens of religious iconography and biblical allusions. Through this meditation on a carved ivory statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Berrigan explores the intersection of the sacred and the profane, the eternal and the temporal. The poem opens with a reference to "The herd of time riding," suggesting the relentless forward march of time that humanity is subject to. Berrigan introduces the idea of an "intellectual excrescence," a growth or projection stemming from human thought or contemplation, perhaps implying the ways in which humanity's understanding of the divine has evolved or become complicated over time. The mention of man never being "horned, until he combated God" alludes to the story of Moses descending from Mount Sinai, as described in the book of Exodus. After encountering God and receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses's face is said to have shone so brightly that he had to cover it. Some translations and interpretations suggest that Moses had horns of light, leading to a longstanding artistic motif. Berrigan uses this imagery to comment on the transformative—and sometimes contentious—relationship between humanity and the divine. The "serious slow prophet" and the "query aside" about whether he had "grown glory" or if "horns been cut and mortised" evoke the idea of humanity grappling with the evidence of divine encounter and the struggle to interpret and integrate such experiences. The comparison of the prophet's potential horns to "stone on a stone gargoyle" bridges the sacred and the profane, suggesting that humanity's attempts to represent or comprehend the divine are inevitably shaped by our earthly, material existence. Berrigan then shifts to describe the evolution of humanity's understanding and representation of the divine as "slow wits and elephantine carven faces," indicating both the ponderous nature of this development and its eventual magnificence. The "curve time grew" and the "viable tip of inauspicious starts" point to the gradual unfolding of human comprehension of the divine, culminating in the figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, represented by the ivory statue. The final lines of the poem, describing the human race striving to "bear, a Swedish fountain-piece, sons and daughters / upward, like waters, in hope of you," evoke a powerful image of collective human aspiration and devotion. The comparison to a fountain, with waters rising upward, symbolizes humanity's longing for the divine and the desire to elevate our nature towards something pure and transcendent. "Statue of the Blessed Virgin, Carved in Ivory" is a rich tapestry of biblical and philosophical reflections, woven through with Berrigan's deep contemplation of faith, art, and the human condition. Through the imagery of the ivory statue, Berrigan invites the reader to ponder the ways in which we seek to understand and connect with the divine, despite the limitations of our temporal, earthly existence. The poem ultimately affirms the beauty and hope found in this ceaseless striving towards the sacred. POEM TEXT: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=28595
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