'From The Long Sad Party' by Mark Strand
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The Late Hour1973Someone was saying
something about shadows covering the field, about
how things pass, how one sleeps towards morning
and the morning goes.Someone was saying
how the wind dies down but comes back,
how shells are the coffins of wind
but the weather continues.It was a long night
and someone said something about the moon shedding itswhite
on the cold field, that there was nothing ahead
but more of the same.Someone mentioned
a city she had been in before the war, a room with twocandles
against a wall, someone dancing, someone watching.
We begin to believethe night would not end.
Someone was saying the music was over and no one hadnoticed.
Then someone said something about the planets, about thestars,
how small they were, how far away.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" by Mark Strand: A Detailed Interpretation
Have you ever read a poem that made you feel like you were slowly sinking into a deep, dark hole? "Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" by Mark Strand is one of those poems. Its melancholic tone and meaningful imagery can leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deeper into the poem's themes, structure, and language to uncover its hidden meanings and explore why it is considered a classic.
Background
Mark Strand was an American poet, essayist, and translator. He was born in Canada in 1934 and died in 2014. Strand was the author of several poetry collections, including "Blizzard of One," which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1999. His works were characterized by their philosophical themes, vivid imagery, and haunting tone.
"Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" was first published in The New Yorker in 1978. The poem is part of a collection of the same name, which was published in 1980. The collection explores themes of love, loss, and longing. "Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" is one of the most famous poems in the collection and has been widely anthologized.
Structure
"Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" is a free verse poem. It has no set rhyme scheme or meter. The poem is divided into four stanzas of varying lengths. The first and third stanzas are longer, while the second and fourth stanzas are shorter. The poem's structure reflects the theme of longing that runs throughout the collection. The long stanzas represent the vastness of the speaker's emotions, while the short stanzas represent the fleeting moments of happiness that they experience.
Language and Imagery
One of the most striking aspects of "Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" is its use of imagery. The poem is full of vivid descriptions that paint a picture in the reader's mind. The imagery is both beautiful and haunting, adding to the poem's melancholic tone.
The first stanza begins with the speaker declaring their love for poetry. They say that poetry is like bread, which suggests that it is essential to life. The speaker then compares poetry to a bird, saying that it is "a small bird" that "flies by." This metaphor suggests that poetry is fleeting and can be easily missed if one is not paying attention.
The second stanza is the shortest and focuses on the speaker's longing for something more substantial than poetry. They say that they want something that will "stain the silence." This line is powerful because it suggests that the speaker's current state is one of emptiness and silence. They want something that will fill that void and leave a lasting impression.
The third stanza is the longest and is full of beautiful and haunting imagery. The speaker describes a "drowned moon" and "a pale sun." These images suggest a world that is dark and lifeless. The speaker then describes a "sea of dreams" and "a sky without stars." These images suggest a world that is empty and devoid of hope.
The final stanza is the shortest and ends on a hopeful note. The speaker says that they will continue to search for what they are looking for, even if it takes them a lifetime. This line suggests that the speaker is resilient and determined to find what they are looking for, no matter how long it takes.
Themes
"Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" explores several themes, including love, loss, and longing. The poem is about the speaker's search for something more substantial than poetry. They are looking for something that will fill the void in their life and leave a lasting impression. The poem is also about the power of language and its ability to evoke emotion.
One of the most powerful themes in the poem is the theme of longing. The speaker is searching for something that they cannot find. They are looking for something that will "stain the silence" and fill the emptiness in their life. This theme is reflected in the poem's structure, with the long stanzas representing the vastness of the speaker's emotions and the short stanzas representing the fleeting moments of happiness that they experience.
Another theme in the poem is the power of language. The speaker is in love with poetry and believes that it has the power to evoke emotion and leave a lasting impression. This theme is reflected in the poem's use of vivid imagery, which paints a picture in the reader's mind and adds to the poem's melancholic tone.
Conclusion
"Poetry, From The Long Sad Party" is a beautiful and haunting poem that explores themes of love, loss, and longing. The poem's structure, language, and imagery all work together to create a powerful and emotional piece of literature. The poem's melancholic tone and meaningful imagery can leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it. It is no wonder that it is considered a classic and has been widely anthologized.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry From The Long Sad Party: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry
Mark Strand's Poetry From The Long Sad Party is a collection of poems that explores the complexities of human emotions and the existential questions that haunt us all. The poems in this collection are a testament to Strand's mastery of language and his ability to capture the essence of human experience in a few carefully chosen words.
The collection is divided into three sections, each of which explores a different aspect of human experience. The first section, titled "The Garden," is a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life. The poems in this section are filled with images of nature and the natural world, and they explore the themes of mortality and impermanence.
One of the standout poems in this section is "The Garden," which begins with the lines, "The garden admires you. For your sake it smears itself with green pigment, / The ecstatic reds of the roses, so that you will come to it with your lovers." These lines capture the beauty and allure of the natural world, and they suggest that the garden exists for our pleasure and enjoyment. However, the poem also acknowledges the transience of life, as it ends with the lines, "The garden is just a garden. It is like a stage, and everything is for show, / For show, for show."
The second section of the collection, titled "The Long Sad Party," is a series of poems that explore the darker aspects of human experience. These poems are filled with images of loneliness, despair, and alienation, and they capture the sense of isolation that many people feel in the modern world.
One of the most powerful poems in this section is "The Tunnel," which begins with the lines, "There is a tunnel you have to go through. / You will not be alone, for I will be there with you." These lines suggest that the speaker is offering comfort and support to someone who is going through a difficult time. However, as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the speaker is also struggling with their own sense of despair and isolation. The poem ends with the lines, "We will go through the tunnel together, / And we will emerge on the other side, alone."
The final section of the collection, titled "The End," is a meditation on death and the afterlife. These poems are filled with images of darkness and decay, and they explore the themes of mortality and the inevitability of death.
One of the most haunting poems in this section is "The End," which begins with the lines, "Not every man knows what he shall sing at the end, / Watching the pier as the ship sails away, or what it will seem like / When he's held by the sea's roar, motionless, there at the end." These lines capture the sense of uncertainty and fear that many people feel when confronted with the prospect of death. However, the poem also suggests that there is a kind of beauty in the inevitability of death, as it ends with the lines, "We will all be as alone as we were at birth, / And die in the same way that we were born: alone."
Overall, Poetry From The Long Sad Party is a masterpiece of modern poetry. Strand's ability to capture the complexities of human experience in a few carefully chosen words is truly remarkable, and his exploration of themes such as mortality, isolation, and the beauty of the natural world is both profound and moving. This collection is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the power and beauty of poetry, and it is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it.
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