Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Practice of Magical Evocation" by Diane Di Prima is a provocative and intense exploration of femininity, creativity, and the act of poetic creation within the constraints and expectations imposed by both nature and society. Di Prima's poem engages deeply with themes of gender, sexuality, and the complex interplay between physicality and spiritual or creative forces. Utilizing stark imagery and a tone that oscillates between defiance and resignation, the poem delves into the experiences and roles traditionally associated with womanhood, challenging and deconstructing them in the process.

The epigraph from Gary Snyder sets the stage for the poem's exploration of the natural and the unnatural, suggesting that discipline—or the attempt to impose order and control against one's innate nature—can lead to confusion, especially in the context of femininity. This idea frames the subsequent exploration of what it means to be a woman, both in the biological and societal sense, and how these roles intersect with the act of poetic creation.

Di Prima begins by asserting her identity as a woman and the inherently feminine nature of her poems. This declaration is both a statement of fact and a challenge to the reader to consider the implications of gender on creativity. The poem then delves into descriptions of the female body and its capacities, using terms like "ductile" and "built for masochistic calm" to illustrate the ways in which women are shaped by and respond to external pressures. The imagery of "deadened nerve," "awakened sex," and "dead retina fish eyes" evokes a sense of alienation from one's own body and sensations, reflecting on the dehumanizing aspects of objectification and the reduction of women to their biological functions.

The phrase "pelvic architecture functional assailed inside & out" further emphasizes the physical and psychological invasions experienced by women, portraying the female body as a battleground where autonomy and identity are constantly under siege. The repetition of the word "ductile" underscores the perceived malleability of women, their expected capacity to yield and adapt to external forces, whether in the context of reproduction ("bring forth men children only female") or societal expectations.

The notion of the woman as "a veil thru which the fingering Will twice torn" suggests a complex relationship between visibility and vulnerability, between being a conduit for creative or willful expression and being subjected to violation or manipulation. This imagery raises questions about the extent to which a woman can assert agency and authenticity in a world that seeks to define and limit her based on physicality and reproductive capabilities.

The closing lines of the poem, "what rhythm add to stillness what applause?" pose a rhetorical question about the value and recognition of women's contributions, both creatively and more broadly within society. It reflects on the silence and stillness that often greet women's efforts and achievements, questioning the lack of acknowledgment and the need for validation in a patriarchal context.

"Practice of Magical Evocation" is a powerful and unflinching examination of the tensions between the physical and the metaphysical, the personal and the universal, in the experience of womanhood. Di Prima uses her poetic voice to evoke the magical and the mundane aspects of being a woman, challenging the reader to reconsider the roles, expectations, and identities imposed upon women and the ways in which they navigate and transcend them through the act of creation.

POEM TEXT: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Beat_Book/USV9ec9I5lQC?q=%22not+fine%22&gbpv=1&bsq=MAGICAL#f=false

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