'Visits To St. Elizabeths' by Elizabeth Bishop

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1950This is the house of Bedlam.This is the man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is the timeof the tragic man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is a wristwatch
telling the time
of the talkative man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is a sailorwearing the watch
that tells the time
of the honored man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is the roadstead all of board
reached by the sailor
wearing the watch
that tells the time
of the old, brave man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.These are the years and the walls of the ward,
the winds and clouds of the sea of board
sailed by the sailor
wearing the watch
that tells the time
of the cranky man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is a Jew in a newspaper hat
that dances weeping down the ward
over the creaking sea of board
beyond the sailor
winding his watch
that tells the time
of the cruel man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is a world of books gone flat.
This is a Jew in a newspaper hat
that dances weeping down the ward
over the creaking sea of board
of the batty sailor
that winds his watch
that tells the time
of the busy man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is a boy that pats the floor
to see if the world is there, is flat,
for the widowed Jew in the newspaper hat
that dances weeping down the ward
waltzing the length of a weaving board
by the silent sailor
that hears his watch
that ticks the time
of the tedious man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.These are the years and the walls and the door
that shut on a boy that pats the floor
to feel if the world is there and flat.
This is a Jew in a newspaper hat
that dances joyfully down the ward
into the parting seas of board
past the staring sailor
that shakes his watch
that tells the time
of the poet, the man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.This is the soldier home from the war.
These are the years and the walls and the door
that shut on a boy that pats the floor
to see if the world is round or flat.
This is a Jew in a newspaper hat
that dances carefully down the ward,
walking the plank of a coffin board
with the crazy sailor
that shows his watch
that tells the time
of the wretched man
that lies in the house of Bedlam.

Editor 1 Interpretation

#Visits to St. Elizabeths: A Journey Through Madness

Elizabeth Bishop's collection of poems, "Visits to St. Elizabeths," is a journey through the world of mental illness, and the poet's own journey of self-discovery. Through her observations of the patients at the hospital, the poet explores themes of isolation, alienation, and the search for meaning in a world that can be both beautiful and terrifying.

#The Poet's Journey

Bishop's own journey is reflected in the poems, as she grapples with her own feelings of alienation and loneliness. In "In the Waiting Room," the poet describes her own sense of dislocation, as she realizes that she is not quite a child, but not yet an adult. She feels like an outsider, observing the world around her but not fully understanding it:

"What similarities-- boots, hands, the family voice I felt in my throat, or even the National Geographic and those awful hanging breasts-- held us all together or made us all just one?"

This sense of dislocation pervades many of the poems in the collection, as Bishop grapples with the fundamental question of what it means to be human.

#The Patients

The patients at St. Elizabeths are a diverse group, ranging from the violent to the withdrawn. Through her interactions with them, Bishop is able to explore the many facets of mental illness. In "The Fish," for example, the poet describes a patient who is obsessed with fishing. The patient's obsession becomes a metaphor for the search for meaning in a world that can be chaotic and confusing:

"I caught a tremendous fish and held him beside the boat half out of water, with my hook fast in a corner of his mouth. He didn't fight. He hadn't fought at all."

This poem is a powerful statement about the way in which we all search for meaning in our lives, and the way in which our obsessions can become a way of coping with the world around us.

#The Search for Meaning

At the heart of Bishop's collection is the search for meaning in a world that can be both beautiful and terrifying. In "The Man-Moth," for example, the poet describes a creature that is half-man and half-moth, wandering through the city at night. The man-moth is a symbol of our own search for meaning, as we wander through the darkness of our own lives, searching for something that we cannot quite define:

"He must have been looking for something, something, something -- we can't imagine what, staring up in the darkeness, staring up into the maws of clouds, he didn't know what else to do."

This sense of searching is echoed throughout the collection, as Bishop explores the different ways in which we try to make sense of the world around us.

#Conclusion

"Visits to St. Elizabeths" is a powerful collection of poems that explores the world of mental illness, and the poet's own journey of self-discovery. Through her observations of the patients at the hospital, Bishop is able to explore themes of isolation, alienation, and the search for meaning in a world that can be both beautiful and terrifying. Ultimately, the collection is a testament to the human spirit, and the way in which we all struggle to make sense of our lives.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Visits To St. Elizabeths: A Masterpiece of Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote a collection of poems titled "Poetry Visits To St. Elizabeths" in 1950. The collection is a reflection of her experience visiting the St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she met and interacted with patients who were suffering from mental illnesses. The poems are a testament to Bishop's ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences, and her unique perspective on the world around her. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in the collection, and how they contribute to the overall impact of the poems.

The Themes of Poetry Visits To St. Elizabeths

The collection of poems explores several themes, including isolation, loneliness, and the human condition. Bishop's poems are a reflection of the patients' experiences, and she captures their emotions and thoughts with great sensitivity and empathy. The patients in the hospital are isolated from the outside world, and their experiences are often misunderstood by those around them. Bishop's poems give voice to their experiences, and she portrays them as complex individuals with unique perspectives and experiences.

One of the most prominent themes in the collection is the idea of isolation. The patients in the hospital are cut off from the outside world, and their experiences are often misunderstood by those around them. In the poem "The Prodigal," Bishop writes about a patient who has been in the hospital for a long time and has lost touch with the outside world. The patient is described as "a stranger to the world," and Bishop captures the sense of isolation and loneliness that the patient feels.

Another theme that runs throughout the collection is the idea of loneliness. The patients in the hospital are often alone, and their experiences are often marked by a sense of isolation and disconnection from the world around them. In the poem "The Fish," Bishop writes about a patient who is obsessed with fishing and spends his days alone in his room, dreaming of the fish he will catch. The patient's obsession with fishing is a reflection of his loneliness and his desire for connection with the world around him.

The Human Condition in Poetry Visits To St. Elizabeths

Bishop's poems are a reflection of the human condition, and she captures the essence of human emotions and experiences with great sensitivity and empathy. The patients in the hospital are complex individuals with unique perspectives and experiences, and Bishop portrays them as such. In the poem "The Armadillo," Bishop writes about a patient who is obsessed with armadillos and spends his days drawing pictures of them. The patient's obsession with armadillos is a reflection of his desire for connection and understanding in a world that often misunderstands him.

Another example of Bishop's ability to capture the human condition is in the poem "The Monument." The poem is about a patient who is obsessed with building a monument to himself, and Bishop captures the patient's desire for recognition and validation. The patient's obsession with the monument is a reflection of his desire to be remembered and to leave a mark on the world.

The Imagery and Language of Poetry Visits To St. Elizabeths

Bishop's use of imagery and language in the collection is masterful, and she creates vivid and evocative images that capture the essence of the patients' experiences. In the poem "The Fish," Bishop uses imagery to describe the patient's obsession with fishing. She writes, "He dreamed of fish in the sky / and fish in the earth / and fish in the trees / and fish in the sea." The imagery of fish in unexpected places is a reflection of the patient's desire for connection and understanding in a world that often misunderstands him.

In the poem "The Prodigal," Bishop uses language to capture the sense of isolation and loneliness that the patient feels. She writes, "He is a stranger to the world / and to himself / and to the people he loves." The language of estrangement and disconnection is a reflection of the patient's experience of isolation and loneliness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Elizabeth Bishop's "Poetry Visits To St. Elizabeths" is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of the human experience. The collection explores themes of isolation, loneliness, and the human condition, and Bishop's use of imagery and language creates vivid and evocative images that capture the patients' experiences with great sensitivity and empathy. The collection is a testament to Bishop's ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences, and her unique perspective on the world around her.

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