Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Fog" is a poem by Mark Doty, first published in 2002 in his collection entitled "Source". The poem captures a moment in which the speaker observes the crested iris outside their front gate waving in the fog, prompting a meditation on the theme of visibility and the relationship between the seen and the unseen.

Explanation:

The poem begins with the observation of a crested iris waving in the fog outside the speaker's front gate. This moment leads the speaker to consider the nature of visibility and how it can change in different circumstances. The fog obscures the details of the flower, making it appear to the speaker like a "blur of lilac", and the flower itself seems to be waving in and out of view.

The speaker then goes on to consider the ways in which this experience of seeing and not seeing is like other moments in life, where the things we desire are both present and elusive. The fog, in this sense, becomes a metaphor for the barriers that prevent us from fully seeing the things we long for.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem consists of a single, nine-line stanza with no regular meter or rhyme scheme.
• Imagery: The use of sensory imagery is prominent throughout the poem, particularly in the description of the crested iris waving in the fog and the use of colors (e.g. "blur of lilac", "opal light").
• Metaphor: The fog is used as a metaphor throughout the poem for the barriers that prevent us from seeing clearly.
• Allusion: The poem's title, "Fog", alludes to the famous poem by Carl Sandburg, "Fog".

Conclusion:

In "Fog", Mark Doty uses the image of a crested iris in the fog to explore the theme of visibility and the ways in which our desires can be both present and obscured. The poem's use of sensory imagery and metaphor help to create a sense of atmosphere and mood, evoking the ethereal quality of the fog and the elusive nature of our desires.

Poem Snippet:

The crested iris by the front gate waves

in the fog,

its bladed leaves darkening and brightening

like a knife in a film noir,

its blur of lilac or lavender paler, then clearer,

as if it's changing its mind about being seen.

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