'Alive Together' by Lisel Mueller
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Alive TogetherSpeaking of marvels, I am alive
together with you, when I might have been
alive with anyone under the sun,
when I might have been Abelard's woman
or the whore of a Renaissance pop
or a peasant wife with not enough food
and not enough love, with my children
dead of the plague. I might have slept
in an alcove next to the man
with the golden nose, who poked it
into the business of stars,
or sewn a starry flag
for a general with wooden teeth.
I might have been the exemplary Pocahontas
or a woman without a name
weeping in Master's bed
for my husband, exchanged for a mule,
my daughter, lost in a drunken bet.
I might have been stretched on a totem pole
to appease a vindictive god
or left, a useless girl-child,
to die on a cliff. I like to think
I might have been Mary Shelley
in love with a wrong-headed angel,
or Mary's friend. I might have been you.
This poem is endless, the odds against us are endless,
our chances of being alive together
statistically nonexistent;
still we have made it, alive in a time
when rationalists in square hats
and hatless Jehovah's Witnesses
agree it is almost over,
alive with our lively children
who--but for endless ifs--
might have missed out on being alive
together with marvels and follies
and longings and lies and wishes
and error and humor and mercy
and journeys and voices and faces
and colors and summers and mornings
and knowledge and tears and chance.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, Alive Together: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Have you ever read a poem that made you feel like you were part of something bigger? That made you feel like you were part of a community, a world, a universe? That's exactly how Lisel Mueller's Poetry, Alive Together makes me feel. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll explore the themes and techniques that make this poem such a powerful and moving experience.
Background
First, a little background on the poem and its author. Lisel Mueller was a German-born American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1997 for her collection Alive Together: New and Selected Poems. Poetry, Alive Together is one of the poems included in that collection. It was originally published in 1981 in The New Yorker.
Summary
The poem begins with a description of a group of people gathered together in a room to read poetry. They are from different backgrounds and have different experiences, but they are all united by their love of poetry. The speaker describes the various reactions and emotions that the poetry elicits from the group: laughter, tears, silence, and conversation. The poem then shifts to a more philosophical tone, as the speaker reflects on the nature of poetry and its ability to connect people across time and space. The poem ends with the memorable line, "Poetry, the brave / powerless words of a living soul."
Themes
One of the themes that runs throughout Poetry, Alive Together is the idea of community. The people in the poem are brought together by their love of poetry, and through that love they form a bond. The poem suggests that poetry is not just a solitary pursuit, but something that can be shared and enjoyed together. The sense of community is reinforced by the repetition of the phrase "alive together," which appears in both the title and the final line of the poem.
Another important theme in the poem is the power of poetry to move and inspire us. The poem describes the various reactions that the group has to the poetry they read: laughter, tears, silence, and conversation. These reactions show that poetry can elicit a wide range of emotions and can connect us to our own feelings and experiences. The poem suggests that poetry is not just an intellectual pursuit, but something that touches us on a deeper level.
Finally, the poem suggests that poetry has a timeless quality that connects us to the past and the future. The speaker reflects on the fact that the poetry they are reading was written by people who are long dead, but whose words still have the power to move us. The line "we are drinking and talking / of the great forgotten poems" suggests that there is something valuable in these old poems that we need to remember and preserve. At the same time, the final line of the poem suggests that poetry is also something that is constantly being created and renewed by "living souls."
Techniques
One of the most striking techniques that Mueller uses in this poem is the repetition of the phrase "alive together." This repetition serves to reinforce the theme of community and to create a sense of unity and connection throughout the poem. The repetition also helps to create a sense of rhythm and momentum that propels the poem forward.
Mueller also uses descriptive language to create vivid images that bring the poem to life. For example, she describes the poetry as "a bouquet of yellow aberrations / and astringent green stalks / of triumph," which creates a sensory image of the words on the page. She also uses metaphor to convey the power and importance of poetry. The line "Poetry, the brave / powerless words of a living soul" suggests that poetry is both vulnerable and courageous, and that it has the power to speak to us on a deep emotional level.
Finally, Mueller uses enjambment to create a sense of fluidity and continuity throughout the poem. Many of the lines run into each other without pause, creating a sense of movement and momentum that reflects the way that poetry can connect us to the past, present, and future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Poetry, Alive Together is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of community, the power of poetry, and the timeless quality of the written word. Mueller uses repetition, descriptive language, metaphor, and enjambment to create a poem that is both lyrical and thought-provoking. Whether you are a lifelong poetry lover or a newcomer to the genre, this poem is sure to speak to you on a deep emotional level.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has always been a medium for expressing emotions and thoughts that are difficult to articulate in everyday language. It is a form of art that has the power to move people, to inspire them, and to bring them together. One such poem that captures the essence of poetry is "Alive Together" by Lisel Mueller.
"Alive Together" is a poem that celebrates the beauty of life and the power of love. It is a poem that speaks to the human experience, to the joys and sorrows that we all share. The poem begins with the lines, "Speaking of marvels, I am alive / together with you, when I might have been / alive with anyone under the sun." These lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a celebration of the fact that the speaker is alive and that they are alive together with someone they love.
The poem goes on to describe the wonders of the world, from the stars in the sky to the flowers in the field. The speaker marvels at the fact that they are alive to witness these wonders, and that they are alive together with someone they love. The poem is filled with vivid imagery, such as the lines, "We have seen the sun rise and fall / like lovers from another world / who speak without words."
The poem also touches on the darker aspects of life, such as death and loss. The speaker acknowledges that life is not always easy, that there are times when we must face our fears and our sorrows. But even in the face of these challenges, the speaker finds comfort in the fact that they are alive together with someone they love. The poem ends with the lines, "Alive, together with you, / in this most improbable world, / grateful beyond measure / to be alive together, / alive together, / alive together."
"Alive Together" is a poem that speaks to the human experience in a profound way. It reminds us that life is a precious gift, and that we should cherish every moment that we have. It also reminds us of the power of love, and how it can bring us together even in the darkest of times. The poem is a celebration of life, of love, and of the human spirit.
One of the most striking aspects of "Alive Together" is its use of imagery. The poem is filled with vivid descriptions of the natural world, from the stars in the sky to the flowers in the field. These images serve to remind us of the beauty and wonder of the world around us, and of the fact that we are alive to witness it. The imagery also serves to create a sense of intimacy between the speaker and the reader, as if we are sharing in the same experiences.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "alive together" is repeated throughout the poem, serving as a kind of refrain. This repetition serves to reinforce the central theme of the poem, which is the importance of being alive and being alive together with someone we love. The repetition also creates a sense of rhythm and musicality, making the poem a pleasure to read aloud.
The poem also uses a variety of literary devices, such as metaphor and personification. For example, the line "We have seen the sun rise and fall / like lovers from another world" uses metaphor to compare the sun to lovers. This comparison serves to highlight the beauty and wonder of the natural world, and to create a sense of romance and intimacy.
Overall, "Alive Together" is a powerful and moving poem that celebrates the beauty of life and the power of love. It is a poem that speaks to the human experience in a profound way, reminding us of the preciousness of life and the importance of cherishing every moment that we have. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to move and inspire us, to bring us together, and to help us make sense of the world around us.
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