Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Stanley Kunitz's "Benediction" is a deeply moving invocation that seeks divine protection and peace for one's inner sanctum and well-being. The poem's structure, reminiscent of a prayer or blessing, underscores its earnestness and solemnity. Through a series of vivid and evocative images, Kunitz implores for the expulsion of both physical and metaphorical intrusions, aiming to preserve the purity and tranquility of the heart and mind.

The poem begins with a straightforward plea to God: "God banish from your house / The fly, the roach, the mouse." This opening immediately establishes a desire for cleanliness and order, free from the disturbances of common pests. These pests symbolize not just literal nuisances but also metaphorical intruders that disrupt the harmony of one's living space and psyche.

The next couplet, "That riots in the walls / Until the plaster falls," reinforces this theme of disorder and decay. The imagery of walls being breached by the relentless activity of pests suggests a deeper anxiety about the fragility of one's inner defenses and the need for divine intervention to maintain structural integrity.

Kunitz continues with a moral and ethical dimension, asking God to "Admonish from your door / The hypocrite and liar." This line broadens the scope of the benediction from physical intruders to moral ones, emphasizing the importance of integrity and truth within one's life. The request for protection from "the hypocrite and liar" highlights the harm that deceit and insincerity can inflict on a person's spiritual well-being.

The subsequent lines introduce a more intimate and psychological concern: "No shy, soft, tigrish fear / Permit upon your stair." Here, fear is personified as a stealthy, tiger-like presence that can quietly invade and undermine one's sense of security. By asking God to bar fear from entering, Kunitz underscores the importance of courage and emotional fortitude.

"Nor agents of your doubt. / God drive them whistling out." These lines emphasize the disruptive power of doubt and the need for a clear, confident mind. The phrase "whistling out" adds a musical, almost whimsical quality to the expulsion of these negative forces, suggesting a lightness and ease in their removal.

Kunitz's invocation continues with a plea for protection against evil and harm: "Let nothing touched with evil, / Let nothing that can shrivel / Heart's tenderest frond, intrude / Upon your still, deep blood." The imagery of a "tenderest frond" evokes the delicate, vulnerable parts of the heart that need safeguarding. The reference to "still, deep blood" suggests a profound inner peace and stability that the poet wishes to preserve.

The poem's focus shifts to the nighttime, a period often associated with vulnerability and unconscious fears: "Against the drip of night / God keep all windows tight." This line conveys a desire to shield oneself from the insidious influence of the night, which can bring about unsettling thoughts and dreams.

"Protect your mirrors from / Surprise, delirium," Kunitz writes, introducing the idea that one's reflections, both literal and metaphorical, can be sources of unexpected and disorienting experiences. By asking for protection from such surprises, the poet seeks to maintain a stable and coherent sense of self.

The plea to "Admit no trailing wind / Into your shuttered mind / To plume the lake of sleep / With dreams" emphasizes the need for uninterrupted, peaceful rest. The metaphor of the mind as a shuttered space and sleep as a lake underscores the vulnerability of the unconscious and the importance of shielding it from disruptive influences.

The poem concludes with a compassionate acknowledgment of human emotion and the need for private spaces for grief and pride: "If you must weep / God give you tears, but leave / You secrecy to grieve, / And islands for your pride, / And love to nest in your side." These lines offer a balance between the expression of sorrow and the preservation of personal dignity, as well as a wish for love and comfort.

Kunitz's "Benediction" is a profound meditation on the need for protection and peace in one's life. Through its richly detailed imagery and rhythmic invocation, the poem encapsulates the poet's deep yearning for a sanctuary free from both external and internal threats. The benediction is not just a request for divine intervention but also a reflection on the essential elements of a well-guarded and serene inner world.

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