Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Motherhood" by Rita Dove is a poignant and intense poem that delves deep into the psyche of a new mother, exploring her anxieties and fears through a series of vivid and sometimes disturbing dream imagery. The poem captures the complex emotions of motherhood—protectiveness, fear, and the overwhelming sense of responsibility.

The poem begins with the mother dreaming that her baby is so small that it keeps getting lost in mundane situations, such as rolling away into obscure places or getting mixed up with laundry. These scenarios symbolize the mother’s anxiety about her ability to properly care for such a vulnerable and fragile life. The image of the baby exploding "like a watermelon, eyes spitting" when she drops it escalates the sense of fragile mortality and the intense pressure she feels to keep the baby safe.

As the dream shifts to a more pastoral setting, the presence of Thomas, presumably the father, offers a brief moment of support as he carries the baby in a sling and participates in the care by "strewing rice along the road." However, this serene moment is quickly disrupted by the disturbing sight of three men playing roughly with a white wolf. This imagery introduces a sense of danger and wildness lurking close to the domestic and serene scene, symbolizing the unpredictable threats that the mother fears might harm her child.

The mother's protective instincts are dramatically highlighted when the wolf breaks free and she reacts instinctively. The chaos escalates as she throws the baby behind her to keep it safe, focusing entirely on neutralizing the threat. Her physical struggle with the wolf, where she "straddles the wolf and circles the throat, counting / until her thumbs push through to the earth," is visceral and brutal. This act of violence underscores the primal, almost animalistic nature of maternal protection—she is willing to engage in fierce, life-threatening combat to protect her child.

The conclusion of the poem, where the wolf's "small wild eyes / go opaque with confusion and shame, like a child's," brings a complex layer of emotion to the narrative. The comparison of the dying wolf’s eyes to those of a child introduces a poignant contrast between the mother's violent act of protection and the innocence it was meant to defend. This moment captures the moral and emotional turmoil of the mother, who must navigate the harsh realities of the world to keep her child safe, even if it means compromising her own sense of peace and humanity.

Overall, "Motherhood" by Rita Dove is a powerful exploration of the psychological landscape of a new mother grappling with her fears and protective instincts. Through vivid, sometimes unsettling dream sequences, Dove poetically articulates the profound and often conflicting emotions that accompany the role of a mother.

POEM TEXT: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/6508/pdf

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