Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Paper Dolls" by Henri Cole is a poignant and visually striking poem that delves into themes of mortality, dignity, and the transformative power of love and grief in the face of death. Through the intimate portrayal of a dying man's final moments, Cole navigates the complex interplay of vulnerability, human connection, and the inevitable journey towards the end of life, imbuing the scene with a profound sense of sanctity and raw emotion.

The opening lines confront the reader with a stark and unflinching depiction of the man's physical state, "naked but for a wrinkled sheet." The comparison of his legs to "Straight as candles" and his body to an "eroding candelabrum" evokes a powerful image of fragility and the diminishing flame of life. This imagery, rich in its symbolic association with light and darkness, life and death, sets a somber tone for the poem, highlighting the physical realities of death's approach.

The absence of a priest, as specified in the man's final wishes, suggests a departure from traditional religious rites, placing the emphasis instead on the personal and the immediate experience of those present. The moment when his mouth "locked on a breath we believed was the last" captures the suspension between life and death, a threshold moment filled with tension and anticipation. The reaction of the other, running "wailing down the long blue corridor for a nurse," conveys a raw outpouring of emotion, a desperate grasp for assistance in the face of the inevitable.

The arrival of the nurse, likened to "Demeter had to the frozen earth," introduces a mythological dimension to the poem, evoking themes of rebirth and regeneration even as it confronts death. Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest and fertility, whose grief for her daughter Persephone's abduction to the underworld brought winter to the world, is a poignant metaphor for the life-giving force that briefly enters the scene, offering comfort and a semblance of hope in a moment of despair.

The presence of "red tulips" on the windowsill, which "stopped their grieving" as the survivors bid farewell to the dying man, symbolizes a momentary pause in sorrow, a collective breath held in reverence and love. The kiss goodbye, a gesture of finality and affection, marks the transition from a scene that is "at first holy, then lurid," as the natural and the spiritual intersect with the sensual and the corporeal.

The stirring beneath the sheet introduces a moment of tension and ambiguity, suggesting both the lingering vitality within the dying man and the unsettling nature of death's proximity. This shift underscores the complex emotions surrounding death—the mix of reverence, fear, and the unsettling unknown.

The paper dolls on the night table, described as "cut like shackled lions," roar "at his entrance" into the afterlife, embodying the spirit and strength that persist beyond the physical decline. These paper lions, both fragile and fierce, serve as a metaphor for the enduring essence of the individual, a reminder of the dignity and the indomitable spirit that death cannot quench.

"Paper Dolls" is a deeply moving exploration of the tender and tumultuous moments that define our final farewell to a loved one. Henri Cole masterfully weaves together the tangible and the symbolic, the personal and the universal, inviting readers to reflect on the beauty and the pain of letting go, the dignity in death, and the enduring bonds of love that transcend the physical boundaries of existence. Through this intimate vignette, Cole captures the profound and paradoxical nature of the human condition, marked by vulnerability and resilience, sorrow and solace, as we navigate the inevitable journey towards the end.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Pierce_the_Skin/N6i8wziUnO4C?q=40+days&gbpv=1&bsq=PAPER%20DOLLS#f=false

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