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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Selectivity" by John Ciardi offers a contemplative glimpse into a moment of solitude amidst the backdrop of everyday life. The poem beautifully captures the speaker's conscious choice to tune into certain sounds of the world around him while deliberately ignoring others, thereby exploring themes of attentiveness, choice, and the boundaries of personal space and peace. The poem opens with a serene and somewhat ethereal description of the environment: "Now mist takes the hemlocks and nothing stirs." This line sets a tranquil tone, suggesting a moment of stillness and quietude that contrasts sharply with the hustle and bustle of the urban or suburban sounds that follow. The mention of "a gray-green and a glassy thing" further evokes a sense of calm and detachment from the chaos of daily life, emphasizing the natural beauty and serenity that can be found in moments of solitude. However, this tranquility is soon juxtaposed with the intrusion of human-made noises—a plane flying towards or away from Newark, Mrs. Levy calling her children, the distant sound of a train, and the neighborhood sounds of cars and children playing. Each sound symbolizes the ever-present background noise of life, the constant activity and movement that surrounds the speaker. Yet, despite the potential for these sounds to disrupt his peace, the speaker notes each one with a sense of detachment, acknowledging their existence without allowing them to disturb his moment of reflection. The poem then shifts to a moment of decision, where the speaker's phone rings, breaking the pattern of passive observation. It is here that Ciardi introduces the concept of "selectivity" as a deliberate act: "And then the phone rings and, carefully, I do not hear it." This line reveals the speaker's conscious choice to remain disconnected from the demands and distractions of the external world, to preserve his solitude and the sanctity of his introspective space. By choosing not to answer the phone, the speaker exercises a form of control over his environment and his mental state, deciding what will and will not penetrate his moment of quietude. This act of "listening selectively" underscores the poem's exploration of how individuals navigate the cacophony of modern life, filtering out the noise to find moments of peace and clarity. "Selectivity" is a reflective meditation on the power of individual agency in determining our focus and engagement with the world around us. Through its vivid imagery and the speaker's thoughtful navigation of the sounds that surround him, the poem invites readers to consider their own practices of selectivity, and the ways in which they carve out space for tranquility amidst the noise of everyday existence. Ciardi's poem celebrates the importance of mindfulness and the deliberate choices we make to maintain our inner peace and focus in an increasingly distracting world.
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