Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Self Portrait" by Jorie Graham is a contemplative and introspective poem that explores themes of observation, memory, and the passage of time. Through vivid imagery and reflective musings, Graham delves into the complexities of self-awareness and the interplay between past and present experiences.

The poem begins with a simple yet evocative scene: "After fresh snow I'll go up to the attic and look out." This act of looking out from the attic sets the stage for a meditation on perspective and observation. The attic, a place often associated with memories and things stored away, serves as a vantage point for reflecting on the world below.

Graham describes her looking as "a set of tracks—the first—a / description of the view / that cannot mar it." This suggests that the act of seeing and describing does not alter the pristine view of the snow, much like tracks that do not disturb the overall landscape. The repetition of "again and again" emphasizes the persistent nature of this observation, as the speaker continues to engage with the terrain that is both impregnable and "yours for the sighting."

At "eye-level in the world," the speaker encounters "something difficult in disappearing from our lives, something critical / like emphasis / or the blue / deep-grooved river currents now reduced to pattern / in the ice." This imagery captures the transformation of vibrant, flowing currents into static patterns, symbolizing how dynamic elements of life can become fixed and diminished over time.

The perspective from the attic offers a different view: "While from up here / it seems less small a thing / to keep each to our side, / and everything / keeps trying / to reach the sky." The elevated viewpoint makes the separation between things seem less significant, highlighting a sense of unity and aspiration as everything stretches towards the sky.

The speaker expresses a desire for change: "I want to change for you, / though it would be by trying to stay the same." This paradoxical statement reflects the tension between the desire to evolve and the need to remain true to oneself. The reference to childhood and the music of a needle cutting tracks into a record adds a layer of nostalgia and continuity, as the speaker recalls believing that "the music / was the track the needle / cut, each time, anew / into the black / where it's still night and no one knows yet it has snowed."

The act of playing a record becomes a metaphor for solitary work and the process of creating and reclaiming one's path: "Such solitary work, / this breaking ground / that will only reclaim itself." The speaker finds joy in the repetitive motion of returning the needle's arm and starting anew, recognizing that "the circuit would not shut / and the start / elude the end / for every single note along the way."

"Self Portrait" by Jorie Graham masterfully weaves together themes of observation, memory, and the passage of time. Through its rich imagery and contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to reflect on the nature of self-awareness and the ongoing journey of understanding oneself. The interplay between past and present, and the tension between change and continuity, are captured in Graham's thoughtful and evocative language.

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