Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

May Swenson?s "Mornings Innocent" is a luminous and sensual exploration of love?s transformative power, capturing the intertwining of identity and intimacy in the speaker?s experience. The poem is suffused with a radiant joy and physicality that evoke the immediacy of new love and its ability to reshape one’s sense of self and surroundings.

The title, "Mornings Innocent," establishes the tone of the poem—a state of renewal, purity, and possibility. Mornings are traditionally associated with beginnings, and here, they are imbued with the innocence of fresh experiences and untainted emotions. The speaker’s awakening is both literal and symbolic, as they rise each day not just into the world but into the presence and essence of their beloved, whose attributes they metaphorically and almost physically adopt.

The opening line, "I wear your smile upon my lips," initiates the poem?s motif of transference, where the beloved?s characteristics are seamlessly absorbed into the speaker?s identity. The phrase suggests an intimate merging, as if the act of smiling itself belongs to the beloved but has been bestowed upon the speaker. This continues with "Your laughter overflows my throat" and "Your skin is a fleece about me," creating a rich, tactile imagery of embodiment. The speaker is wrapped in the beloved?s presence, their influence extending beyond emotional connection to an almost physical possession.

Nature plays a vital role in the poem, mirroring and amplifying the speaker?s sense of vitality and connection. "Birds make the sound of kisses" and "Leaves flicker light and dark like eyes" suggest an animistic harmony, where the external world reflects the internal state of love and desire. These elements highlight the speaker?s heightened sensitivity to their surroundings, as love infuses the mundane with magic and symbolism.

The central metaphor of the beloved as a princely figure adds an element of reverence and admiration. The speaker assumes this princely grace, stating, "With your princely walk I salute the sun." This line encapsulates the transformative effect of love: it elevates the speaker, lending them confidence and allure. The repeated phrase, "People say I am handsome," underscores this newfound self-assurance, as the speaker?s perception of themselves is reshaped through the gaze and affection of the beloved.

Physicality and sensuality are woven throughout the poem, creating a vivid sense of embodiment. Lines such as "I melt beneath the magnet of your gaze" and "Your husky breath insinuates my ear" capture the intimate and visceral aspects of love, where physical proximity becomes a powerful force of attraction and connection. The speaker?s body is energized and revitalized, described as "Alert and fresh as grass" and suffused with "The strands of the wrestler / run golden through my limbs." These images suggest strength, vitality, and a sense of invincibility that love imparts.

The poem’s structure and rhythm enhance its themes of renewal and harmony. The recurring phrase "Arising on mornings innocent" serves as both a refrain and a grounding point, drawing the reader back to the central idea of beginning anew. The fluidity of the lines and the absence of punctuation create a continuous, unbroken flow, mirroring the seamless blending of identities and emotions. The repetition of certain phrases, such as "With your princely walk I salute the sun," reinforces the cyclical and enduring nature of the speaker?s joy and transformation.

“Mornings Innocent” ultimately celebrates love as a force that transcends the boundaries of self, allowing the speaker to inhabit a world enriched by the beloved?s essence. Swenson captures the intimacy and exhilaration of this experience, where the boundaries between two individuals blur, and the natural world itself becomes an extension of their connection. The poem?s luminous imagery and flowing structure create a sense of timelessness and unity, inviting readers to share in the speaker’s moment of sublime renewal and self-discovery.

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