'Sestina' by Elizabeth Bishop
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September rain falls on the house.
In the failing light, the old grandmother
sits in the kitchen with the child
beside the Little Marvel Stove,
reading the jokes from the almanac,
laughing and talking to hide her tears.
She thinks that her equinoctial tears
and the rain that beats on the roof of the house
were both foretold by the almanac,
but only known to a grandmother.
The iron kettle sings on the stove.
She cuts some bread and says to the child,
It's time for tea now; but the child
is watching the teakettle's small hard tears
dance like mad on the hot black stove,
the way the rain must dance on the house.
Tidying up, the old grandmother
hangs up the clever almanac
on its string. Birdlike, the almanac
hovers half open above the child,
hovers above the old grandmother
and her teacup full of dark brown tears.
She shivers and says she thinks the house
feels chilly, and puts more wood in the stove.
It was to be, says the Marvel Stove.
I know what I know, says the almanac.
With crayons the child draws a rigid house
and a winding pathway. Then the child
puts in a man with buttons like tears
and shows it proudly to the grandmother.
But secretly, while the grandmother
busies herself about the stove,
the little moons fall down like tears
from between the pages of the almanac
into the flower bed the child
has carefully placed in the front of the house.
Time to plant tears, says the almanac.
The grandmother sings to the marvelous stove
and the child draws another inscrutable house.
Editor 1 Interpretation
An Exploration of Elizabeth Bishop's "Sestina"
Elizabeth Bishop's "Sestina" is a masterful poem that explores themes of memory, loss and identity. Written in the form of a sestina, which uses six end-words to create a complex pattern of repetition, the poem is a tour-de-force of form and content.
A Closer Look at the Poem
At first glance, "Sestina" appears to be a simple poem about a grandmother and a child playing a game. However, as we delve deeper into the poem, we discover that it is much more complex than that. The poem is divided into six stanzas, each containing six lines. The first five stanzas end with one of six words: house, grandmother, child, stove, almanac, and tears. The sixth stanza uses all six words in a specific pattern: tears, child, grandmother, almanac, stove, house.
The repetition of these words creates a sense of circularity and inevitability. The poem is like a game of memory, where the same images and words are repeated over and over again, but each time with a slightly different meaning.
Exploring the Theme of Loss
One of the central themes of "Sestina" is loss. The poem is set in a house that is gradually falling apart, and the grandmother and child are both aging and losing their faculties. The grandmother's memory is failing, and she can no longer remember the names of her own children. The child is growing up and losing his innocence.
The repeated word "tears" is a powerful symbol of loss and grief. The tears that the grandmother sheds are not just for the boy's lost innocence, but for her own lost youth and vitality.
The Stove and the Almanac
Two of the most powerful images in the poem are the stove and the almanac. The stove represents warmth and comfort, but it is also a symbol of the past. The grandmother remembers the stove as a symbol of her youth and the warmth of her family. However, the stove is also falling apart, just like the house, and it is no longer able to provide the same comfort and warmth that it once did.
The almanac is a symbol of time and the passing of the seasons. The grandmother uses it to mark the passage of time, but it also reminds her of her own mortality. The almanac is a reminder that time is slipping away, and that nothing can be done to stop it.
The Child's Innocence
The child in the poem represents innocence and the loss of innocence. He is still young and innocent, but he is also growing up and becoming aware of the world around him. The grandmother's tears are partly for the loss of his innocence, but they are also for the loss of her own innocence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Elizabeth Bishop's "Sestina" is a powerful poem that explores themes of memory, loss, and identity. The repetition of words and images creates a sense of circularity and inevitability, and the poem is like a game of memory where the same images and words are repeated over and over again. The poem is also a powerful reminder of the passing of time and the inevitability of change.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sestina by Elizabeth Bishop: A Masterpiece of Form and Emotion
Elizabeth Bishop's Sestina is a poem that has stood the test of time, captivating readers with its intricate form and powerful emotions. Written in 1965, the poem is a prime example of Bishop's mastery of the sestina form, a complex poetic structure that requires a great deal of skill and precision to execute effectively. In this analysis, we will explore the structure and themes of Sestina, and examine how Bishop uses the form to convey a sense of loss and longing.
The sestina is a form of poetry that originated in medieval France and was popularized by Italian poets in the 16th century. It consists of six stanzas of six lines each, followed by a final three-line stanza called an envoi. The unique feature of the sestina is its use of a complex pattern of end-words, which are repeated in a specific order throughout the poem. In Bishop's Sestina, the end-words are: house, grandmother, child, stove, almanac, and tears.
The poem begins with a description of a house, which is presented as a symbol of stability and security. The speaker describes the various objects in the house, including a stove and an almanac, which serve as reminders of the passage of time. The grandmother is also introduced, and her presence is felt throughout the poem as a source of comfort and wisdom.
As the poem progresses, the speaker's thoughts turn to a child, who is not present in the house. The child is described as being "lost" or "gone," and the speaker's emotions become increasingly intense as she reflects on the child's absence. The repetition of the end-words serves to reinforce the sense of loss and longing, as each word is imbued with a deeper meaning each time it appears.
The envoi, or final stanza, is particularly powerful in its use of repetition. The end-words are repeated in a specific order, but with a slight variation in their placement. This creates a sense of closure and resolution, as the poem comes full circle and the themes of loss and longing are brought to a poignant conclusion.
One of the most striking aspects of Bishop's Sestina is the way in which she uses the form to convey a sense of emotional depth and complexity. The repetition of the end-words creates a kind of musicality, as the words are woven together in a complex pattern that is both beautiful and haunting. The poem is also notable for its use of imagery, which is vivid and evocative throughout.
The house, for example, is described in detail, with its "shining windows" and "polished dining table." The stove is personified as a "little travelling grate," and the almanac is described as a "book of numbers." These images serve to create a sense of nostalgia and longing, as the speaker reflects on the past and the passage of time.
The grandmother is also a powerful symbol in the poem, representing a kind of stability and wisdom that is sorely missed. Her absence is felt keenly throughout the poem, and her presence is evoked through the repetition of the end-word "grandmother." The child, on the other hand, is a symbol of innocence and vulnerability, and his or her absence creates a sense of sadness and loss.
Overall, Bishop's Sestina is a masterpiece of form and emotion, showcasing the poet's skill and sensitivity in equal measure. The poem is a testament to the power of repetition and imagery, and its themes of loss and longing are universal and timeless. As readers, we are left with a sense of the fragility of life, and the importance of cherishing the moments we have with those we love.
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