Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Eleanor Wilner’s "Ghazal on What's to Lose, or Not" is a poignant exploration of loss, desire, and surrender. Dedicated to Shahid, a reference to the late Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, known for his mastery of the ghazal form, the poem weaves intricate themes of risk, identity, and transcendence within the traditional constraints of the ghazal.

The ghazal, an ancient Persian poetic form, typically consists of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. Wilner uses this structure to meditate on the paradoxes of loss and gain, grounding her reflections in vivid, often metaphysical imagery.

The poem opens with the provocative question, "Risk it? What, after all, have you got to lose?" This sets the tone for the subsequent couplets, which explore various facets of loss. The idea of risking something inherently implies the possibility of loss, yet Wilner suggests that this very act is necessary, even honorable. The “time-honored form” of the ghazal itself is a risk, a commitment to a structure that might seem restrictive but offers profound freedom within its constraints.

The line “Never mind if you feel yourself losing your grip - / When wrestling with angels, you've fought to lose” alludes to the biblical story of Jacob wrestling with an angel. This struggle, filled with divine tension, suggests that losing in such a context is not a failure but a necessary surrender to a higher power or truth. It hints at the profound insight gained through such spiritual battles.

In “Passionate error: on the horizon, a haze of heat. / Fooled by the sun, you feel too hot to lose,” Wilner captures the illusionary nature of desire and perception. The heat haze symbolizes a mirage, the things we chase passionately but which may ultimately be deceptive or unattainable.

The couplet “Is it the Beloved's dear form, glimpsed in the crowd? / What the heart most desires, you're taught to lose” evokes the Sufi tradition where the Beloved represents the divine or ultimate truth. The heart’s deepest desires often entail learning to let go, to lose what one loves to gain something greater and more profound.

The refrain "to lose" in various contexts underscores the multifaceted nature of loss. “Sun and wind, space: a mirror turns on a string. / The empty mind's best: all thought to lose” brings a Zen-like quality, advocating for the emptying of the mind and the shedding of extraneous thoughts to achieve clarity and enlightenment.

Wilner also touches on historical and ancestral guilt in “You will mourn for, adore, those your ancestors killed. / To relinquish their victory is not to lose.” This couplet suggests a reconciliation with the past, an acknowledgment of historical wrongs, and a relinquishment of inherited pride and victories.

The final couplets reflect on the soul’s journey and personal identity. “When the soul slips its mooring, it sails beyond far. / And sense comes untied, a knot to lose” and “You float down the river, watch the clouds play. / So, forgetting the game, you forgot to lose” portray a peaceful surrender to life’s flow, where the dissolution of rigid structures and the forgetting of the ego bring a serene liberation.

In the last couplet, “In all transparent modesty, you drop your name. / For Eleanor is not a lot to lose,” Wilner concludes with a reflection on the self. The act of dropping one’s name signifies the ultimate humility and the understanding that personal identity, while cherished, is transient and ultimately insignificant in the grander scheme.

Wilner’s "Ghazal on What's to Lose, or Not" masterfully employs the ghazal form to delve into the deep and often paradoxical nature of loss. Through its lyrical exploration of surrender, identity, and transcendence, the poem resonates with a timeless wisdom that challenges readers to reconsider their perceptions of gain and loss.

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