Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

May Swenson?s "Stripping and Putting On" is a deeply introspective poem that explores themes of identity, freedom, and the human connection to the world and its constructs. Through a series of declarations, the speaker defines themselves as a being unbound by societal norms, materialism, and the trappings of human institutions. The poem?s reflective tone, underscored by Swenson?s characteristic precision and clarity, emphasizes a desire for transcendence and an alignment with the natural and the cosmic.

The repeated refrain, "I always felt like a bird blown through the world," establishes the central metaphor for the speaker?s identity. The bird, a symbol of freedom and motion, represents the speaker?s transient, unmoored existence. The bird?s lack of attachment to the earth—its refusal to root itself like a tree—suggests a rejection of permanence and confinement. Swenson captures a sense of fluidity and impermanence that contrasts with the human tendency to settle, claim, and possess.

The speaker?s aversion to attachment extends to material possessions and societal constructs. Lines such as "I never wanted a patch of this earth to stand in, / that would stick to me" and "Never wanted to own a thing that wasn?t I born with" emphasize a rejection of ownership and territoriality. The speaker?s disdain for cars and preference for "another animal: horse, camel, / or shrewd donkey" highlights a longing for connection to the organic and the instinctual, rather than the mechanical and the constructed. This preference reflects a desire to remain in harmony with nature?s rhythms rather than adhering to artificial systems.

Swenson critiques traditional societal values through her speaker’s rejection of familial and institutional ties. Lines like "Would rather not have parents, had no yen for a child, / and never felt brotherly" underscore a deliberate detachment from the expectations of family and kinship. Similarly, the dismissal of national pride—"I never felt proud as one of the crowd under / the flag of a country"—suggests a skepticism toward collective identities rooted in artificial boundaries and histories. Swenson’s speaker asserts an individuality unshaped by inherited loyalties or ideologies.

The speaker?s spiritual perspective is similarly unorthodox. Lines such as "Never hankered for Heaven, or shield from a Hell, / or played with the puppets Devil and Deity" reveal a disinterest in traditional religious frameworks. The speaker does not seek salvation or punishment, instead embracing a self-directed moral compass and a naturalistic view of existence. This rejection of external moral and spiritual authorities reinforces the poem?s overarching theme of self-sufficiency and personal authenticity.

In the final stanzas, the tone shifts from rejection to aspiration. The speaker expresses a desire to transcend the limitations of the human condition, imagining "the egg of a world in a nest of calm beyond / this world?s storm and decay." This metaphor of creation and renewal contrasts sharply with the earlier depictions of a transient, unattached existence. Here, the speaker yearns for a new reality free from the chaos and impermanence of the current world. The imagery of "wings as light speeds on" evokes a cosmic scope, suggesting a longing to escape the confines of earthly existence altogether.

The closing lines encapsulate the speaker?s ultimate aspiration: "I would like to be able to put on, like clothes, / the bodies of all those / creatures and things hatched under the wings / of that world." This desire to embody all forms of life signifies a profound empathy and a yearning for unity with the entire spectrum of existence. The metaphor of "putting on" these bodies as one might don clothes underscores the fluidity of identity and the interconnectedness of all beings.

"Stripping and Putting On" is a meditation on the complexities of identity, freedom, and the human desire for transcendence. Swenson’s speaker defines themselves through what they reject, but they also articulate a powerful vision of renewal and universal connection. The poem invites readers to question societal norms and consider the possibilities of living in harmony with nature and the cosmos, unbound by the limitations of the material and institutional world. Swenson?s precise, declarative style lends the poem both a clarity and a resonance that make its themes deeply impactful.

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