Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser's "Young Girl of the Mississippi Valley" is a poignant and evocative poem that blends vivid imagery with deep emotional undercurrents. The poem captures the intersection of personal longing, memory, and the broader historical and geographical landscape of the Mississippi Valley.

The opening lines, "Stallions go leap, and rimfire knows, / Where there was sleep the ware eye goes," immediately establish a sense of movement and awakening. The leaping stallions and the knowledge of rimfire (a type of firearm ignition) suggest a dynamic, almost volatile energy. The transition from sleep to wakefulness symbolizes a shift from ignorance to awareness or from passivity to action.

"Out of the rotten climbs the rose" introduces the theme of regeneration and beauty emerging from decay. This image sets the tone for the rest of the poem, where themes of loss and renewal are interwoven. The speaker remembers how music, particularly a "murder ballad," soothed her fears, indicating the power of art and memory to provide comfort amidst turmoil.

The line "A murder ballad blown by the moon away, / And all your dreaming could not make him stay" speaks to the transient nature of comfort and the inevitability of loss. Despite the solace found in dreams and music, the departure of a loved one cannot be prevented. The loved one’s desire for "the blue counties, the way to Africa" suggests a longing for escape and exploration, perhaps driven by a search for identity or freedom.

The phrase "Lean east lean west, the thousand ocean knows, / How soon do you come to the center again?" reflects the cyclical nature of journeys and the return to one's roots or origins. This cyclical movement is mirrored in the speaker's own emotional journey, as she grapples with the departure and the hope of reunion.

The poem shifts to a more personal tone with "Nightmary, zip me up, the avenue / Is black, I’ll start in the dark of the moon—". The use of "Nightmary" (a portmanteau of "nightmare" and "Mary") personifies the haunting fears that the speaker must confront. The journey begins in darkness, suggesting a struggle through uncertain and potentially perilous paths.

"Flat miles away my love who never knew / Wakes and leans on the windowsill, / Wanting the sea-breasts of an unborn girl" evokes a sense of distance and unfulfilled longing. The loved one, distant and unaware, desires a future that is yet to be realized—a future embodied in the image of an unborn girl, representing hope and potential.

As the poem progresses, the speaker expresses determination: "Hills climb, songs climb, and I will find him out, / My child will leap like stallions from my mouth / Before the traveler moon can light my heart." Here, the speaker's resolve to reconnect with the loved one and the imagery of a child leaping like stallions from her mouth underscores a powerful, almost primal drive to create and reunite.

The closing lines, "There’ll be a gun, and there’ll be storms of roses, / All Indiana crystal in my tears," juxtapose violence and beauty. The gun represents conflict and potential danger, while the "storms of roses" symbolize intense, perhaps tumultuous, emotions. "Indiana crystal in my tears" suggests clarity and purity in sorrow, indicating that the speaker's tears, though filled with pain, also hold a deep truth and beauty.

Overall, "Young Girl of the Mississippi Valley" is a rich, multi-layered poem that explores themes of longing, loss, renewal, and the enduring power of memory and hope. Rukeyser's use of vivid imagery and emotional depth invites readers to journey through the complexities of personal and collective experiences, finding beauty and strength amidst the challenges.

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