'Green Thumb' by Philip Levine
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Shake out my pockets! Harken to the call
Of that calm voice that makes no sound at all!
Take of me all you can; my average weight
May make amends for this, my low estate.
But do not shake, Green Thumb, as once you did
My heart and liver, or my prostate bid
Good Morning to -- leave it, the savage gland
Content within the mercy of my hand.
The world was safe in winter, I was spring,
Enslaved and rattling to the slightest thing
That she might give. If planter were my trade
Why was I then not like a planter made:
With veins like rivers, smudge-pots for a soul,
A simple mind geared to a simple goal?
You fashioned me, great headed and obscene
On two weak legs, the weakest thing between.
My blood was bubbling like a ten-day stew;
it kept on telling me the thing to do.
I asked, she acquiesced, and then we fell
To private Edens in the midst of hell.
For forty days temptation was our meal,
The night our guide, and what we could not feel
We could not trust. Later, beneath the bed,
We found you taking notes of all we said.
At last we parted, she to East Moline,
I to the service of the great unseen.
All the way home I watched a circling crow
And read your falling portents in the snow.
I burned my clothes, I moved, I changed my name,
But every night, unstamped her letter came:
"Ominous cramps and pains." I cursed the vows
That cattle make to grass when cattle browse.
Heartsick and tired, to you, Green Thumb, I prayed
For her reprieve and that our debt be paid
By my remorse. "Give me a sign," I said,
"Give me my burning bush." You squeaked the bed.
I hid my face like Moses on the hill,
But unlike Moses did not feel my will
Swell with new strength; I put my choice to sleep.
That night we cowered, choice and I, like sheep.
When I awoke I found beneath the door
Only the invoice from the liquor store.
The grape-vine brought the word. I switched to beer:
She had become a civil engineer.
When I went walking birds and children fled.
I took my love, myself, behind the shed;
The shed burned down. I switched to milk and eggs.
At night a dream ran up and down my legs.
I have endured, as Godless Nazarite,
Life like a bone even a dog would slight;
All that the dog would have, I have refused.
May I, of all your subjects, be excused?
The world is yours, Green Thumb; I smell your heat
Licking the winter to a green defeat.
The creatures join, the coupling seasons start;
Leave me, Green Thumb, my solitary part.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Green Thumb by Philip Levine: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Green Thumb is a beautiful poem written by Philip Levine, an American poet famous for his works that focus on the working class and the struggles of everyday life. The poem is an ode to nature and gardening, and it showcases the poet's love for the simple things in life.
In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deep into the poem and explore its themes, imagery, and symbolism. We will analyze the poem line by line and decipher its meaning. So, let's get started!
The Poem
Here is the full text of the poem:
My wife’s new pink slippers
have gay pom-poms.
There is not a spot or a stain
on their satin toes or their sides.
All night they lie together
under her bed’s edge.
Shivering I catch sight of them
and smile, in the morning
they are still there, new,
the color of flesh, alive.
Breathing?
I cringe, my brain shrieks
should a strange mouse
start out of his nest
in the broken shoe box.
How would you feel, if you found
in your closet a shoe
with a live mouse trapped inside?
Her husband, businessmen,
always frightened of the poor,
always worrying about his property.
But tonight,
when she slips into bed,
first I will kiss her
foot.
Themes
One of the major themes of the poem is love. The poet writes about his love for his wife and how her new pink slippers make him smile. He also talks about kissing her foot, which shows his affection for her.
Another theme of the poem is nature. The poet uses imagery of nature and gardening throughout the poem. He talks about a mouse that might be living in a broken shoe box, which is a reference to the natural world.
The poem also touches on the themes of fear and anxiety. The poet talks about how he is afraid of the mouse that might be living in the shoe box. He also mentions his wife's husband, who is always worrying about his property.
Imagery
The imagery in the poem is quite vivid and creates a picture in the reader's mind. The poet talks about his wife's new pink slippers with "gay pom-poms." He also describes how they are "the color of flesh, alive." This imagery creates a sense of life and vitality.
The poet also talks about a mouse that might be living in a broken shoe box. This creates a sense of danger and fear in the reader's mind. The poet uses this imagery to create a contrast between the safety of the slippers and the danger of the mouse.
Symbolism
The pink slippers in the poem symbolize love and affection. They represent the poet's feelings for his wife and how he finds comfort in the simple things in life.
The mouse in the broken shoe box symbolizes fear and anxiety. It represents the things that we are afraid of and how they can consume us if we let them.
Analysis
Let's analyze the poem line by line and decipher its meaning.
My wife’s new pink slippers
have gay pom-poms.
The poem starts with the poet talking about his wife's new pink slippers. The use of the word "gay" here is interesting because it has a double meaning. It can mean happy and joyful, which is what the pom-poms represent. But it can also mean homosexual, which adds another layer of meaning to the poem.
There is not a spot or a stain
on their satin toes or their sides.
The poet describes how the slippers are spotless and stain-free. This creates a sense of purity and cleanliness.
All night they lie together
under her bed’s edge.
The poet talks about how the slippers lie together under his wife's bed. This creates a sense of intimacy and comfort.
Shivering I catch sight of them
and smile, in the morning
they are still there, new,
the color of flesh, alive.
Breathing?
The poet describes how he shivers when he sees the slippers and how they make him smile. He also questions whether they are breathing, which is an interesting question because it shows how the slippers have become almost like living creatures to him.
I cringe, my brain shrieks
should a strange mouse
start out of his nest
in the broken shoe box.
The poet talks about how he is afraid of the mouse that might be living in the broken shoe box. This creates a sense of danger and fear.
How would you feel, if you found
in your closet a shoe
with a live mouse trapped inside?
The poet puts the reader in his shoes and asks how they would feel if they found a shoe with a live mouse trapped inside. This creates a sense of empathy and makes the reader feel the same fear and anxiety as the poet.
Her husband, businessmen,
always frightened of the poor,
always worrying about his property.
The poet talks about his wife's husband, who is always worried about his property. This creates a contrast between the poet's love for the simple things in life and the husband's obsession with material possessions.
But tonight,
when she slips into bed,
first I will kiss her
foot.
The poem ends with the poet talking about how he will kiss his wife's foot. This creates a sense of intimacy and shows the depth of the poet's love for his wife.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Green Thumb is a beautiful poem that explores themes of love, nature, fear, and anxiety. The imagery and symbolism in the poem create a vivid picture in the reader's mind and make them feel the same emotions as the poet. The poem is a testament to the beauty of the simple things in life and how they can bring us comfort and joy.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Green Thumb: A Poem of Hope and Resilience
Philip Levine’s “Green Thumb” is a poem that speaks to the human spirit’s ability to persevere in the face of adversity. The poem is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of nature to heal and renew. Levine’s use of vivid imagery and metaphorical language creates a powerful and moving portrait of a man who has lost everything but his connection to the earth.
The poem opens with the speaker describing a man who has lost everything. He has lost his job, his home, and his family. He is alone and destitute, wandering the streets with nothing but the clothes on his back. The man is a symbol of the many people who have fallen on hard times and are struggling to survive in a world that seems to have turned against them.
Despite his dire circumstances, the man has a green thumb. He has a deep connection to the earth and a talent for growing things. He plants a garden in a vacant lot, and the garden becomes a symbol of hope and renewal. The garden is a testament to the man’s resilience and his ability to find beauty and meaning in the midst of despair.
Levine’s use of metaphorical language is particularly effective in conveying the man’s connection to the earth. The man’s green thumb is a metaphor for his ability to nurture life and create beauty in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving. The garden is a metaphor for the man’s own life, which he is able to cultivate and grow despite the challenges he faces.
The poem also explores the theme of community and the power of human connection. The man’s garden becomes a gathering place for the community, a place where people can come together and share in the beauty and abundance of nature. The garden becomes a symbol of the human spirit’s ability to connect with others and find meaning and purpose in life.
Levine’s use of imagery is particularly effective in conveying the beauty and abundance of the garden. He describes the garden as a “riot of color and scent,” a place where “the sunflowers towered over the corn” and “the tomatoes hung heavy on the vine.” The garden is a symbol of the abundance of life and the power of nature to heal and renew.
The poem also explores the theme of transformation. The man’s garden is a symbol of his own transformation, from a man who has lost everything to a man who has found meaning and purpose in life. The garden is a symbol of the man’s own ability to transform his life and create something beautiful and meaningful out of the ashes of his past.
Levine’s use of language is particularly effective in conveying the man’s transformation. He describes the man as “a new man,” a man who has “risen from the ashes of his old life” and “found a new purpose in the garden.” The man’s transformation is a testament to the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity and find meaning and purpose in life.
In conclusion, “Green Thumb” is a poem that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of nature to heal and renew. The poem is a tribute to the many people who have fallen on hard times and are struggling to survive in a world that seems to have turned against them. The man’s garden is a symbol of hope and renewal, a testament to the human spirit’s ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Levine’s use of vivid imagery and metaphorical language creates a powerful and moving portrait of a man who has lost everything but his connection to the earth. The poem is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and the possibility of transformation.
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