Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Maxine Kumin’s "Song for Seven Parts of the Body" is a playful, sensuous exploration of the human body as a mosaic of interdependent, expressive, and enigmatic parts. Through a series of lyrical meditations, each corresponding to a different body part, Kumin reveals the body as a landscape of memory, desire, and communication. The poem is both celebratory and introspective, examining the paradox of the body as a site of both autonomy and connection, individuality and universality.

The poem begins with an ode to the navel, described as a "common type" that "turns in." This opening stanza situates the navel as a marker of origin, a remnant of attachment to the maternal body. The navel becomes a symbol of both nourishment and separation, feeding the speaker "as sweetly as an opium pipe" in the past but now serving as a mute witness to time’s passage. Kumin emphasizes its permanence—“This was. This is.”—suggesting the enduring presence of the body’s history, even as other aspects of existence shift.

In the second stanza, the poem moves to the feet, which are depicted as modest and utilitarian: “Mostly they lie low / put up shells, sprout hairs.” Their function is unglamorous yet essential, as they march “five abreast” and silently carry the body through life. Kumin’s description of the feet as “silent as mushrooms” evokes their humility and connection to the earth. Yet their nightly freedom—when they “rise up free”—hints at an imaginative or unconscious life that transcends their daytime toil.

The third stanza takes on a more intimate and dynamic tone as it addresses the penis, personified as a self-declared entity: “I have a life of my own, he says.” This part of the body becomes a site of transformation and vulnerability, shifting between states of vitality and inertia. Kumin’s metaphor of the “prince” turning back into a “frog” underscores the cyclicality and mutability of desire, as well as the often-disparate realities of physicality and aspiration.

In the fourth section, Kumin turns her attention to the hands, describing them as laborers in a “field that never lies fallow.” The hands are presented as tools of creation and destruction, as they both “winnow” and are watered by “sweat.” This stanza evokes the relentless labor of existence, with the hands working not just for sustenance but as agents of death and renewal. The imagery of hair as “newborns” that “crop up like asparagus” links the hands to the tactile realities of bodily growth and decay. Through their connections to “armpits” and “crotches,” the hands also signify intimacy and the act of reaching across the boundaries of self.

The fifth stanza shifts to the breasts, which are portrayed as mysterious and self-contained: “They have eyes that see not.” These “hills” are both physical and symbolic landscapes, embodying fertility, sustenance, and allure. Kumin’s metaphors—“bobbers,” “melons,” “doorknobs”—highlight their tactile and sensual qualities, while the whisper, “touch me,” imbues them with a voice of desire. The stanza captures the tension between their functional role and their symbolic power as sites of vulnerability and intimacy.

In the sixth section, the mouth becomes the central focus. Its absence is imagined as an existential void: “Imagine a mouth without you... / No way to swallow.” Here, the mouth is essential not only for survival but as a locus of communication and connection. It becomes a metaphor for the necessity of interaction, suggesting that the self is incomplete without the ability to speak, taste, and engage with others.

The poem concludes with the ears, which Kumin describes as “nubbins” that “hear naught.” Their passive role contrasts with their symbolic significance, as they become sites of adornment and cultural identity. The ears serve as repositories of meaning, bearing “holes... to hang presents” and marking moments of ritual and self-expression. This closing section reflects the ears’ dual role as both physical appendages and conduits of sound and emotion.

Kumin’s "Song for Seven Parts of the Body" balances humor, sensuality, and philosophical inquiry. Each stanza delves into a different aspect of embodiment, blending anatomical specificity with metaphorical resonance. The poem’s structure mirrors the unity of the body: though each part is addressed separately, they collectively form a cohesive whole. Through her vivid and tactile language, Kumin celebrates the body’s complexity and the myriad ways it shapes human experience. The poem’s tone oscillates between reverence and playfulness, inviting readers to reflect on their own relationships with their bodies, both as physical entities and as vessels of memory, desire, and identity.

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