Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser's poem "Song, The Brain-Coral" is a lyrical meditation on stillness, change, and the enduring essence of love, juxtaposed against the backdrop of nature's vivid imagery. The poem invites the reader to explore themes of constancy amidst transformation, employing rich metaphors and a serene tone to evoke a sense of tranquil reflection.

The poem begins with a call for stillness: "Lie still, be still, love, be thou not shaken, / it is for me to be shaken, / to bring tokens." This opening sets the stage for a meditation on the stability of love amidst the speaker's own experiences and movements. The directive to "be still" underscores a desire for tranquility and constancy, suggesting that while the external world may be tumultuous, there is a sanctuary in stillness and in the presence of the beloved.

Rukeyser then transitions to a description of "yellow light in the hot gardens" and "thinned green light in the evening gardens," using light as a symbol of different phases and moods. These images evoke a sense of time passing and the changing nature of the day, yet the speaker remains focused on expressing "gladness" and maintaining a sense of inner peace.

The invocation of the "great night" wearing "its moods and shadows" further emphasizes the theme of change. The night, with its varied shadows, represents the world in its myriad forms and phases. However, the speaker finds solace in these changes, suggesting that within the fluctuations of life, there is beauty and a sense of being "stilled within its varied shadows / falling like feathers." The feather imagery evokes a sense of lightness and gentle transformation, reinforcing the idea of embracing change without losing one's core essence.

Central to the poem is the image of the "changeless stone, / the strange brain-coral." Brain-coral, a type of coral that resembles the convolutions of a brain, serves as a powerful metaphor for enduring wisdom and complexity amidst the ever-changing natural world. Thrown "white on beaches beside the peacock Stream," the brain-coral represents a piece of the natural world that has withstood the test of time and the forces of nature. Its intricate and changeless nature stands in contrast to the dynamic, "exterior intricate rainbow world," symbolizing the eternal and immutable aspects of love and the self.

Rukeyser's use of color imagery—yellow light, green light, and the white brain-coral—highlights the vibrancy and diversity of the physical world, while also emphasizing the purity and simplicity of the brain-coral. The coral's whiteness suggests clarity and purity, a touchstone of constancy amidst the "passionate" streaming of "many physical worlds."

The poem's final lines reinforce the theme of stillness and contemplation: "dreaming the still white intricate stone of the world, / —bring you brain-coral, / a world’s white seeming." Here, the speaker envisions a dream state where the brain-coral symbolizes a perfect, unchanging essence. The phrase "a world’s white seeming" suggests that amidst the complexity and change of the world, there is a fundamental, unaltered truth embodied by the brain-coral.

In "Song, The Brain-Coral," Rukeyser masterfully weaves together images of nature and metaphors of change and constancy to explore themes of love, stillness, and the enduring aspects of the self. The poem invites the reader to find peace and stability amidst the flux of life, suggesting that within the ever-changing world, there are elements of beauty and wisdom that remain steadfast. Through its rich imagery and meditative tone, the poem offers a poignant reflection on the nature of existence and the timeless qualities of love.

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