Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Musings of Mind and Body" by David Ferry is an evocative and philosophically rich poem that explores the interconnectedness and tensions between the mind and the body, framed within the metaphors of the sea and its castoffs. The poem is divided into two distinct parts, each representing one aspect of human existence: the mind and the body, both using vivid natural imagery to articulate their intrinsic properties and existential dilemmas.

### The mind

The first part of the poem personifies the mind as a "shell" cast up by the sea, imbued with the ability to murmur the "old music" of the tide or wind. This imagery suggests that the mind is both a receptacle and a reflector of external forces—nature's rhythms and whispers are internalized and echoed within its "murmuring round." The mention of a "coil" that encompasses traits like "cunning, Envy, malice, pity, contemplation" implies a complexity and depth to the mind, capable of a wide range of thoughts and emotions, both noble and base.

The mind identifies itself as transient, acknowledging that the same wave which cast it ashore will eventually reclaim it: "The wave that cast me out upon this beach / An hour ago, where I sit singing alone, / Will lace me round with her green arms, come tide, / Come evening, and I will be gone." This acceptance of its ephemeral nature is poignant, capturing a resignation to the cycles of nature and existence. The mind, in its solitude, engages in a "humming dream," perhaps a metaphor for self-reflection or the ceaseless activity of thought.

### The body

In stark contrast, the second part of the poem gives voice to the body, which asserts itself as "that sea." Unlike the mind, which is portrayed as something created and eventually reclaimed by the sea, the body declares its agency and power: "What I cast up is mine, / Whenever I choose to take it back or not." This suggests a dominion over not just itself but also over what it produces, embodying a forceful and perhaps more primal aspect of existence.

The body extends its influence far beyond the immediate coastal imagery of the mind’s narrative. It sees its essence in "the driest bloom" and its "legend" in the far-reaching petals, the "lizard's grin," and even in the biblical "falling flesh of the great Bathsheba," symbolizing a pervasive, almost omnipotent presence in the world. The body’s voice is omnipresent, echoing in the joyous leap of a little dog and asserting control over all it encompasses, including the mind: "And thou, my mind."

The conclusion, where the body asserts it will "wash down" everything within its reach, including the mind, emphasizes the inevitable and powerful influence of the physical over the mental, the corporeal over the cerebral. It speaks to an inescapable unity and hierarchy where the body encompasses and governs the essence of being, including the intellectual and ephemeral musings of the mind.

"Musings of Mind and Body" by David Ferry is a profound meditation on the dual aspects of human nature, beautifully encapsulating the dialogue and tension between our reflective capacities and our corporeal realities. Through the metaphor of the sea and its elements, Ferry crafts a narrative that is both a celebration and a lament of the complex interplay between mind and body, highlighting their distinct roles in defining our existence and experiences.

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