Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Lucky Life" is a poem by Gerald Stern, published in his collection "Lucky Life" in 1977. It is a reflective piece that explores themes of love, memory, and the passage of time.

Explanation: 

The poem begins with the speaker describing a moment of tenderness with a loved one, watching as "a moth the size of this leaf" flutters between them. The moth is both delicate and resilient, surviving despite the odds against it. This moment of beauty is contrasted with the speaker's realization that they are growing old, and that the things they love are fading away. They reflect on the past, on a time when they were young and in love, and the world seemed full of possibility.

As the poem progresses, the speaker contemplates the inevitability of death, and the fleeting nature of life. They mourn the loss of friends and loved ones, and acknowledge that their own time is limited. Despite this, they find solace in the beauty of the world around them, in the small moments of joy and connection that make life worth living.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter. It is divided into five stanzas of varying lengths.
• Imagery: The poem is filled with vivid and sensory descriptions, such as "the night-blooming cereus," "the red kite on the mountainside," and "the grapes on the arbor." These images help to evoke a sense of place and atmosphere.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is wistful and reflective, with moments of both sadness and joy. The speaker is grappling with the difficult truths of aging and mortality, but also finds moments of beauty and grace in the world around them.
• Symbolism: The moth in the opening lines of the poem serves as a symbol for resilience and endurance, despite the fragility of life. Other symbols include the night-blooming cereus, which blooms only once a year and is associated with love and passion, and the grape arbor, which represents abundance and the passage of time.

Conclusion:

 "Lucky Life" is a poignant and lyrical reflection on the passage of time and the beauty of the world. Through rich imagery and introspective musings, the poem explores the human experience of love, loss, and mortality, while also finding moments of hope and joy in the small details of life.

Poem Snippet:

"Under the window is the still

bone-white carcass of a mouse

with stiff legs and an empty head—

like some impotent hero in a folktale."