'The Weed' by Elizabeth Bishop

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I dreamed that dead, and meditating,
I lay upon a grave, or bed,
(at least, some cold and close-built bower).
In the cold heart, its final thought
stood frozen, drawn immense and clear,
stiff and idle as I was there;
and we remained unchanged together
for a year, a minute, an hour.
Suddenly there was a motion,
as startling, there, to every sense
as an explosion.Then it droppedto insistent, cautious creeping
in the region of the heart,prodding me from desperate sleep.
I raised my head.A slight young weed
had pushed up through the heart and its
green head was nodding on the breast.
(All this was in the dark.)
It grew an inch like a blade of grass;
next, one leaf shot out of its side
a twisting, waving flag, and then
two leaves moved like a semaphore.
The stem grew thick. The nervous roots
reached to each side; the graceful head
changed its position mysteriously,
since there was neither sun nor moon
to catch its young attention.
The rooted heart began to change
(not beat) and then it split apartand from it broke a flood of water.
Two rivers glanced off from the sides,
one to the right, one to the left,
two rushing, half-clear streams,
(the ribs made of them two cascades)
which assuredly, smooth as glass,
went off through the fine black grains of earth.
The weed was almost swept away;
it struggled with its leaves,
lifting them fringed with heavy drops.
A few drops fell upon my faceand in my eyes, so I could see(or, in that black place, thought I saw)
that each drop contained a light,
a small, illuminated scene;
the weed-deflected stream was made
itself of racing images.
(As if a river should carry all
the scenes that it had once reflectedshut in its waters, and not floating
on momentary surfaces.)
The weed stood in the severed heart.
"What are you doing there?" I asked.
It lifted its head all dripping wet
(with my own thoughts?)
and answered then: "I grow," it said,
"but to divide your heart again."

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Weed by Elizabeth Bishop: A Masterpiece of Poetic Precision

As a poet, Elizabeth Bishop had a keen eye for detail and a gift for capturing the essence of things that most people overlook or dismiss. In her poem, "The Weed," she takes a simple, ordinary object and transforms it into a thing of beauty and wonder.

The Poem

To fully appreciate the brilliance of "The Weed," it is important to read and analyze the poem in its entirety. Here is the full text of the poem:

The weed is like the cockroach of the plant world,
a scrappy survivor, a self-reliant pest,
a little snot of a thing that sticks to your shoe
and won't let go, that grows in the sidewalk cracks
and thrives in polluted soil, a green drabness
that you hardly notice until you try to uproot it
and find yourself faced with a tenacious tangle
of roots that go deep, much deeper than you'd expect.

But stop a moment and look at it closely,
this despised and rejected thing. Notice
how its leaves are finely serrated, delicately
veined, how the sunlight filters through them
and makes a lacy pattern on the pavement.
Notice the tiny flowers, so pale and delicate,
that bloom on the end of each stem, and the way
they shiver and tremble in the slightest breeze.

Think how much beauty and grace can be found
even in the lowliest, most unlovely things,
the things that we thoughtlessly overlook or despise.
Think how much we could learn from this weed,
this scrappy survivor, this little snot of a thing,
if only we took the time to see it, really see it,
and appreciate it for what it is: a miracle
of nature, a testament to the resilience and tenacity
of life itself, a thing of beauty and wonder.

Analysis

At first glance, "The Weed" appears to be a simple poem about an unremarkable plant. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the poem is about much more than just a weed.

The Weed as a Metaphor

Bishop uses the weed as a metaphor for the resilience and tenacity of life itself. Just as the weed is a scrappy survivor that thrives in even the harshest conditions, so too can life endure and even flourish in the face of adversity.

The weed is also a metaphor for the beauty and wonder that can be found in even the most unlovely things. Bishop encourages us to take the time to appreciate the simple, ordinary things in life and to see the beauty in them.

The Weed as a Personification

Throughout the poem, Bishop personifies the weed, giving it human-like qualities and characteristics. She describes the weed as a "scrappy survivor" and a "self-reliant pest," imbuing it with a sense of independence and determination.

By personifying the weed, Bishop encourages us to see it not as a nuisance, but as a living thing with its own unique qualities and strengths.

Imagery and Diction

Bishop's use of imagery and diction in "The Weed" is masterful. She describes the weed as "a little snot of a thing," using colloquial language to convey a sense of disdain for the plant. However, she also describes the weed's leaves as "finely serrated" and "delicately veined," using more elevated language to convey the plant's beauty and intricacy.

The imagery in the poem is also powerful. Bishop describes the way the sunlight filters through the weed's leaves, creating a "lacy pattern on the pavement." She also describes the "tiny flowers" that bloom on the weed's stems and the way they "shiver and tremble in the slightest breeze." These vivid descriptions help us to see the weed in a new light, as something delicate and beautiful rather than just a nuisance.

The Importance of Observation

One of the most important themes in "The Weed" is the importance of observation. Bishop encourages us to take the time to really see the things around us and to appreciate them for what they are.

She writes, "Think how much we could learn from this weed, this scrappy survivor, this little snot of a thing, if only we took the time to see it, really see it." By taking the time to observe and appreciate the weed, we can learn important lessons about resilience, tenacity, and the beauty of the natural world.

Form and Structure

"The Weed" is a free verse poem, meaning it does not adhere to a specific rhyme or meter. This allows Bishop to experiment with the form and structure of the poem, using enjambment and punctuation to create a sense of movement and flow.

The poem is divided into two stanzas of unequal length, with the shorter second stanza emphasizing the importance of taking the time to really see the weed. The use of a single, long sentence in the second stanza also creates a sense of urgency and importance.

Conclusion

In "The Weed," Elizabeth Bishop demonstrates her mastery of poetic precision and her ability to find beauty in the most ordinary of things. Through her use of metaphor, personification, imagery, and diction, she encourages us to see the weed in a new light and to appreciate it for what it is: a testament to the resilience and tenacity of life itself. By taking the time to observe and appreciate the weed, we can learn important lessons about the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Beauty and Complexity of Elizabeth Bishop's "The Weed"

As a lover of poetry, I have come across many works that have left me in awe of the power of language. However, few have captivated me as much as Elizabeth Bishop's "The Weed." This poem, which was first published in 1946, is a masterpiece of imagery, symbolism, and metaphor. In this analysis, I will explore the beauty and complexity of this classic work of poetry.

The Poem

Before delving into the analysis, let us first take a look at the poem itself:

The weed is like the sinuous coil of a boa constrictor,
very cool, and very green,
the rows of seeds
bulge with a fat fertility.

It is a kingdom of water,
a kingdom of loam.

It is without ambition,
it is without a soul.

It is what it is,
it is a weed.

It is like a woman
lifting her skirt for the plumber,
who turns out to be a priest.

It is like a man
with a frayed sleeve
who extends his arm
for a taxi cab.

It is like the door
or the house
or the street
or the city.

It is what it is,
and nothing else.

But sometimes,
as on this dank, raw day,
it takes on a strange beauty,
a cold, pure, formal beauty,
like a woman's face
seen through a veil of ice.

It is what it is,
it is a weed,
and it is nothing more,
but something in me remembers
the way it almost
slipped its skin
like an unwanted kiss,
the way it slid
between my fingers
like a quickened breath.

It is what it is,
a thing of no ambition,
a thing of no soul,
a thing of no beauty,
a thing of no interest,
but for this:
it almost reminds me
of the lust I felt
looking at you.

The Analysis

The Weed as a Symbol

At its core, "The Weed" is a poem about the nature of existence. The titular weed serves as a symbol for the mundane and unremarkable aspects of life. It is a plant that grows without purpose or ambition, content to simply exist. Bishop describes it as "without a soul," emphasizing its lack of consciousness or self-awareness.

However, despite its lack of ambition or beauty, the weed still holds a certain fascination for Bishop. She describes it as a "kingdom of water" and a "kingdom of loam," highlighting its connection to the natural world. The weed is a part of the ecosystem, playing a role in the cycle of life and death.

The Weed as a Metaphor

In addition to its symbolic significance, the weed also serves as a metaphor for human experience. Bishop compares the weed to a woman lifting her skirt for a plumber who turns out to be a priest and a man with a frayed sleeve hailing a taxi cab. These comparisons highlight the idea that, like the weed, humans often find themselves in situations that are mundane and unremarkable.

However, Bishop also notes that sometimes the weed takes on a strange beauty, much like a woman's face seen through a veil of ice. This suggests that even the most ordinary aspects of life can hold a certain beauty and fascination if viewed from the right perspective.

The Use of Imagery

One of the most striking aspects of "The Weed" is Bishop's use of imagery. She describes the weed as a "sinuous coil of a boa constrictor," emphasizing its serpentine shape and the way it winds its way through the soil. She also notes that the rows of seeds on the weed "bulge with a fat fertility," highlighting its ability to reproduce and continue its existence.

Bishop's descriptions of the weed as a "kingdom of water" and a "kingdom of loam" also create vivid images in the reader's mind. These descriptions emphasize the weed's connection to the natural world and its role in the ecosystem.

The Role of Memory

Towards the end of the poem, Bishop notes that "something in me remembers" the way the weed almost slipped its skin and the way it slid between her fingers. This suggests that, despite the weed's lack of ambition or beauty, it still holds a certain fascination for Bishop.

This idea of memory and nostalgia is a recurring theme in Bishop's work. She often explores the idea that even the most mundane aspects of life can hold a certain significance if viewed through the lens of memory and nostalgia.

The Final Lines

The final lines of "The Weed" are perhaps the most striking. Bishop notes that the weed is "a thing of no ambition, a thing of no soul, a thing of no beauty, a thing of no interest, but for this: it almost reminds me of the lust I felt looking at you." This final comparison between the weed and a feeling of lust is unexpected and jarring, but it also serves to tie the poem together thematically.

Just as the weed is a seemingly unremarkable aspect of existence that holds a certain fascination for Bishop, so too is the feeling of lust an ordinary human emotion that can hold a great deal of significance. This comparison highlights the idea that even the most mundane aspects of life can hold a certain beauty and fascination if viewed from the right perspective.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Elizabeth Bishop's "The Weed" is a masterpiece of imagery, symbolism, and metaphor. Through her descriptions of the weed, Bishop explores the nature of existence and the role of memory and nostalgia in shaping our perceptions of the world around us. The poem is a testament to the power of language and the ability of poetry to capture the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

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