'Healed' by Dorothy Parker

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

Sunset RopeOh, when I flung my heart away,The year was at its fall.
I saw my dear, the other day,Beside a flowering wall;
And this was all I had to say:"I thought that he was tall!"

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry, Healed by Dorothy Parker: A Literary Analysis

First published in The New Yorker in 1923, “Poetry, Healed” is a satirical poem written by the witty and acerbic Dorothy Parker. The poem critiques the pretentiousness, insincerity, and excess of the art form of poetry and the poets who indulge in it. Through a combination of irony, hyperbole, and witty wordplay, Parker exposes the superficiality of the poetic language and the lack of substance in the poetic themes.

The Poet as a Healer?

The poem begins with the speaker ironically stating that poetry can heal any wound, be it physical or emotional. The speaker imagines the poet as a kind of magician or a medicine man who can cure any ailment with the power of his or her verse. But the speaker soon reveals that this is just a façade, a pretense, a marketing gimmick by the poets to sell their wares:

"Poetry is the preachment of the unpreached,
The gospel that has never been revealed.
It is the riddle whereof no man speaks,
The one thing by which all is healed."

The speaker is mocking the grandiose claims of the poets who present themselves as messianic figures with a divine mission to enlighten and heal the masses. The speaker suggests that the so-called spiritual and moral messages of the poets are nothing but empty platitudes that do not address the real problems of the society. The use of the word "preachment" implies that poetry is used as a tool of moralistic indoctrination rather than a genuine expression of the human experience. The word "gospel" reinforces this religious connotation and suggests that poetry is a substitute for a real religion that has lost its appeal. The use of the word "riddle" suggests that poetry is a cryptic and obscure language that only the initiated can understand, and that the poets use this mystique to create a sense of exclusivity and elitism. The phrase "by which all is healed" is a hyperbolic claim that suggests that poetry can solve all the problems of the world and that the poets are the only ones who possess this magical power.

The Poet as a Narcissist

The poem continues with the speaker portraying the poets as narcissistic and self-centered. The speaker imagines the poets as vain and petty creatures who are obsessed with their own image and reputation:

"The poet is no faker,
For he's made out of the truth.
He's like a stunted sapling
That's grown a little crooked in the booth."

The use of the word "faker" suggests that the poets are not genuine and that they pretend to be something they are not. However, the speaker then contradicts this by saying that the poets are "made out of the truth." This paradox suggests that the poets are both genuine and fake at the same time, that they have a kernel of truth in them but that this truth is twisted and distorted by their own egos and biases. The image of the "stunted sapling" is a metaphor for the poets' arrested development and distorted growth. The word "crooked" implies that the poets are morally and aesthetically flawed, that they have deviated from the norm and the standard. The word "booth" suggests that the poets are trapped in their own little world, insulated from the harsh reality of the outside world.

The speaker then goes on to describe the poets' obsession with their own image and reputation:

"It is a little distorted,
But it smells sweet, doesn't it?
The only thing the poet has to be afraid of
Is that he will be a little understood."

The phrase "a little distorted" implies that the poets' self-image is not entirely accurate or truthful, that it is a product of their own vanity and self-delusion. The use of the phrase "smells sweet" suggests that the poets use their art to create a pleasant and attractive façade that hides their true nature. The phrase "a little understood" implies that the poets are afraid of being misunderstood or ignored by the public, that they seek validation and recognition for their work. The use of the word "little" suggests that the poets' fear is trivial and insignificant, that they are more concerned with their own ego than with the impact of their work on the world.

The Poet as a Fraud

The poem concludes with the speaker exposing the poets as frauds and charlatans who use their art to manipulate and deceive the public:

"The fear of poetry is the fear of fraud,
The fear of all that is unsaid;
The fear of all that is untrue,
The fear of all that is dead."

The use of the word "fraud" implies that the poets are not genuine or sincere, that they use their art to deceive and manipulate the public. The word "unsaid" implies that the poets use their art to obscure and hide the truth, that they create a false and artificial reality that has no connection to the real world. The word "untrue" implies that the poets use their art to lie and deceive, that they create a false and idealized version of reality that does not correspond to the actual experience of the people. The word "dead" implies that the poets use their art to glorify and celebrate the past, to create a nostalgic and sentimental image of a world that no longer exists.

Conclusion

In "Poetry, Healed," Dorothy Parker uses her characteristic wit and irony to critique the art of poetry and the poets who practice it. She exposes the pretentiousness, insincerity, and excess of the poetic language and the lack of substance in the poetic themes. She portrays the poets as narcissistic and self-centered, obsessed with their own image and reputation. She exposes the poets as frauds and charlatans who use their art to manipulate and deceive the public. Parker's poem is a reminder that poetry, like any art form, should be a genuine expression of the human experience, not a tool of self-promotion or ideological indoctrination.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Healed: An Analysis of Dorothy Parker's Classic

Dorothy Parker, the American poet, writer, and critic, is known for her sharp wit, biting humor, and poignant observations on life. Her poem "Poetry Healed" is a classic example of her unique style and perspective. In this 12-line poem, Parker explores the transformative power of poetry and its ability to heal the wounds of the heart and soul. In this analysis, we will delve deeper into the poem's themes, structure, and language to understand its significance and relevance today.

The poem begins with a simple yet powerful statement: "In the gloom of whiteness, / In the great silence of snow, / A child was sighing / And bitterly saying: / 'Oh, / They have killed a white bird up there on her nest, / The down is fluttering from her breast!'" The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, establishing a sense of sadness and despair. The child's lamentation over the death of the white bird is a metaphor for the pain and suffering that we all experience in life. The image of the down fluttering from the bird's breast is a powerful one, evoking a sense of loss and vulnerability.

However, the poem takes a turn in the next stanza, as Parker introduces the transformative power of poetry: "And still it was singing: / 'Cup your little hands to your ear, / And I will tell you something / That will lighten your fear.'" Here, the bird's song becomes a symbol of hope and comfort, offering a way out of the darkness and into the light. The act of cupping one's hands to the ear is a gesture of receptivity, suggesting that we must be open to the healing power of poetry in order to benefit from it.

The third stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as Parker describes the healing process in detail: "A woman, walking softly, / Came into a snowy yard / And heard the bird in the ivy / That grows on the wall so hard. / 'All this is temporary,' / Said the bird in the tree. / 'The snow will melt and the sun will shine, / And you will see.'" The woman's arrival signals a turning point in the poem, as she represents the healing presence of poetry. Her soft footsteps suggest a gentle approach to the wounded soul, while the bird's message of hope and resilience offers a way forward.

The final stanza of the poem brings the themes of healing and transformation to a satisfying conclusion: "Lift up your eyes, little boy, / And the snow is gone: / The bird is flying in the sky, / And singing: 'It is done!'" Here, the child's despair has been replaced by a sense of wonder and joy, as he witnesses the bird's transformation from death to life. The bird's song of triumph is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope for renewal and growth.

The structure of the poem is simple yet effective, with each stanza building on the previous one to create a sense of momentum and progression. The use of repetition, particularly in the bird's song, reinforces the poem's themes of healing and transformation. The language of the poem is also noteworthy, with Parker's use of imagery and metaphor creating a vivid and evocative picture of the scene. The contrast between the "gloom of whiteness" and the bird's song of hope is particularly striking, highlighting the power of poetry to transform even the bleakest of situations.

In conclusion, "Poetry Healed" is a classic poem that speaks to the human experience of pain, loss, and healing. Through its use of metaphor, imagery, and repetition, the poem offers a powerful message of hope and resilience. Parker's unique style and perspective make this poem a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers today. As we navigate the challenges of life, we can take comfort in the knowledge that poetry has the power to heal and transform us, just as it did for the child in Parker's poem.

Editor Recommended Sites

Machine learning Classifiers: Machine learning Classifiers - Identify Objects, people, gender, age, animals, plant types
Learn by Example: Learn programming, llm fine tuning, computer science, machine learning by example
GraphStorm: Graphstorm framework by AWS fan page, best practice, tutorials
Learn AI Ops: AI operations for machine learning
Rust Community: Community discussion board for Rust enthusiasts

Recommended Similar Analysis

Spring by Gerard Manley Hopkins analysis
Epitaph by Sarah Teasdale analysis
Fly , The by William Blake analysis
Leto and Niobe by Sappho analysis
Verses upon the Burning of our House, July 18th, 1666 by Anne Bradstreet analysis
Heart! We will forget him! by Emily Dickinson analysis
At A Window by Carl Sandburg analysis
The Coming Of Wisdom With Time by William Butler Yeats analysis
Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen analysis
The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats analysis