Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Book of Days 20" by Martha Collins delves into the juxtaposition of safety and vulnerability, freedom and confinement, through vivid personal and hypothetical narratives. The poem navigates spaces of physical and psychological imprisonment, exploring the paradoxical feeling of safety within confinement and the ever-present shadows of possession and power that loom over individuals and societies.

The opening lines, "Once, running for life, having nothing / to prove myself myself, I heard a steel door / slam shut and felt, on the narrow cot / beside the seatless toilet, safe," introduce a moment of acute personal crisis. The act of running for life, combined with the auditory and tactile experiences of the steel door closing and the sensation of the cot, encapsulate a moment of both fear and relief. This paradoxical feeling of safety within a space of confinement—a jail cell—suggests a complex relationship with freedom and security, where the immediate threat gives way to a temporary reprieve in the most unlikely of sanctuaries.

The transition to a more reflective stance at night, observing "squares of light / pattern the blackness," shifts the focus from the personal to the collective. The imagery of lights turning on and off across the dark canvas of the night evokes a sense of connectedness and isolation among individuals within their private spaces. This pattern of light and darkness serves as a metaphor for the alternating visibility and obscurity of personal experiences and struggles.

The narrative then extends beyond the speaker's immediate surroundings to another, more ominous scenario: "and far away, in another state, / a man arrives at a city jail and claims / the frightened woman he calls Mine." This chilling scene of possession and control underscores the theme of personal autonomy being overridden by another's claim, echoing the poem's earlier exploration of confinement and safety but within the context of relational dynamics and power.

Collins broadens the scope further with the contemplation of a global threat posed by "an old and powerful man / in the threatened years of this century / should wish the whole world / to die with him, wife for his pyre." This hypothetical scenario explores the potential for destruction wielded by those in power, contemplating the catastrophic implications of personal vendettas and nihilism on a global scale.

"Book of Days 20" intertwines these narratives of personal and collective experiences, weaving together themes of safety, vulnerability, possession, and power. Collins invites readers to reflect on the dynamics of safety and freedom, the impact of individual actions on others, and the potential for both salvation and destruction that lies within human relationships and power structures. Through its contemplation of these themes, the poem serves as a meditation on the human condition, challenging us to consider the spaces we inhabit—both physical and psychological—and the interconnectedness of our lives within the broader tapestry of society and history.

POEM TEXT: https://capa.conncoll.edu/collins.space.htm#DAYS

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