Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser's "Two Years" is a short yet poignant poem that captures the intensity of grief and the small, everyday moments that persist even amidst profound sorrow. Through its minimalist structure, the poem evokes a deep emotional resonance, highlighting the contrast between the monumental and the mundane.

The poem begins with a stark statement: "Two years of my sister’s bitter illness;". This line immediately situates the reader in a prolonged period of suffering and struggle. The use of the word "bitter" underscores the harshness and pain of the sister's illness, suggesting not only physical suffering but also emotional and psychological torment.

The second line shifts to a more naturalistic image: "the wind whips the river of her last spring." Here, Rukeyser employs vivid imagery to convey the turbulence and uncontrollable forces at play. The wind whipping the river can be seen as a metaphor for the turmoil and chaos that accompany the end of life. The phrase "her last spring" poignantly marks the final season of the sister’s life, a time traditionally associated with renewal and growth, now ironically juxtaposed with decline and death.

The final line, "I have burned the beans again," brings the poem back to the realm of the everyday. This simple, domestic failure stands in stark contrast to the gravity of the preceding lines. The act of burning the beans is a mundane mistake, yet within the context of the poem, it becomes laden with significance. It suggests a lapse in attention or care, perhaps a result of the overwhelming grief and distraction caused by the sister’s illness.

The juxtaposition of the profound and the ordinary in "Two Years" serves to highlight the disorienting nature of grief. The speaker's focus on something as trivial as burned beans amidst the backdrop of a loved one's death underscores how life’s small, routine details continue even in the face of immense emotional upheaval. This contrast also suggests the ways in which grief can manifest in the minutiae of daily life, disrupting even the simplest tasks.

Rukeyser's concise and evocative language in "Two Years" encapsulates the complexity of mourning, where moments of intense emotion are interspersed with the banalities of everyday existence. The poem's brevity and focus on specific images leave a lasting impact, emphasizing the enduring presence of sorrow and the struggle to maintain normalcy in its shadow. Through this delicate balance, Rukeyser captures the essence of human resilience and the ongoing, often fragmented nature of coping with loss.

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