'Love Incarnate' by Frank Bidart

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                        (Dante, Vita Nuova)





To all those driven berserk or humanized by love

this is offered, for I need help 

deciphering my dream.

When we love our lord is LOVE.



When I recall that at the fourth hour

of the night, watched by shining stars,

LOVE at last became incarnate,

the memory is horror.



In his hands smiling LOVE held my burning

heart, and in his arms, the body whose greeting

pierces my soul, now wrapped in bloodred, sleeping.



He made him wake. He ordered him to eat

my heart. He ate my burning heart. He ate it

submissively, as if afraid as LOVE wept.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Love Incarnate: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry

Frank Bidart’s “Love Incarnate” is a modern masterpiece of poetry that explores the nuances and complexities of love. The poem is a powerful exploration of the emotions that come with falling in love and the struggles that one faces in maintaining that love. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the themes, literary devices, and overall message of this poem.

Themes

The central theme of “Love Incarnate” is the complexity of love. Bidart explores the various emotions that come with love, including desire, obsession, jealousy, and despair. He also delves into the idea of sacrifice, as the narrator must give up his own desires in order to maintain his love. Throughout the poem, Bidart presents love as a force that can both uplift and destroy the human soul.

Another important theme is the idea of transformation. The narrator undergoes a profound transformation as a result of his love for the woman. He is forced to confront his own desires and weaknesses, and ultimately must sacrifice his own happiness in order to maintain the relationship. This transformation is both painful and transformative, as the narrator must confront his own demons and make difficult choices.

Literary Devices

Bidart employs a variety of literary devices in “Love Incarnate” to convey the complexity of the emotions and themes he explores. The poem is written in free verse, allowing Bidart to experiment with structure and form. This creates a sense of freedom and fluidity, which mirrors the emotions of the narrator as he navigates his relationship.

One of the most powerful literary devices Bidart employs is repetition. Throughout the poem, he repeats certain phrases and images, creating a sense of unity and coherence. For example, the phrase “I dreamed” is repeated several times, each time taking on a slightly different meaning. This repetition creates a sense of continuity and coherence, despite the shifting emotions and experiences of the narrator.

Another important literary device is imagery. Bidart uses vivid, often visceral imagery to convey the emotions and experiences of the narrator. For example, he describes the woman’s body in detail, from the “sharp” angles of her hips to the “dark triangle” between her legs. This imagery creates a sense of intimacy and sensuality, while also conveying the complexity of the narrator’s desire.

Interpretation

Overall, “Love Incarnate” is a powerful exploration of the complexities of love. Bidart presents love as a force that can both uplift and destroy the human soul, and explores the various emotions that come with falling in love. Through his use of literary devices, he conveys the pain, joy, and transformation that the narrator experiences as a result of his love for the woman.

At its core, “Love Incarnate” is a poem about sacrifice. The narrator must sacrifice his own desires in order to maintain his love, and this sacrifice ultimately transforms him. This theme is particularly relevant in today’s world, where many people struggle to balance their own desires with the needs of those they love.

In conclusion, “Love Incarnate” is a masterpiece of modern poetry that delves into the complexities of love. Through his use of themes and literary devices, Bidart creates a powerful and moving portrait of the transformative power of love. This poem is a must-read for anyone who has ever experienced the joys and sorrows of love, and is a testament to the enduring power of poetry.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Love Incarnate: A Poem of Passion and Pain

Frank Bidart’s Love Incarnate is a powerful and moving poem that explores the complexities of love, desire, and loss. Written in a confessional style, the poem takes the reader on a journey through the speaker’s intense and tumultuous relationship with his lover, exploring the highs and lows of their passion and the devastating aftermath of their separation. In this analysis, we will delve into the themes, imagery, and language of Love Incarnate, exploring the ways in which Bidart uses poetic devices to create a vivid and emotionally charged portrait of love and its consequences.

The poem opens with a striking image of the speaker’s lover, who is described as “a man who had fallen from grace.” This image sets the tone for the rest of the poem, suggesting that the speaker’s relationship with his lover is fraught with tension and conflict. The use of the phrase “fallen from grace” also suggests a religious or spiritual dimension to the poem, hinting at the idea that love and desire can be seen as sinful or taboo.

Throughout the poem, Bidart uses vivid and often shocking imagery to convey the intensity of the speaker’s emotions. For example, in the second stanza, the speaker describes his lover’s body as “a battlefield / where armies of pleasure and pain / fought to the death.” This image is both violent and erotic, suggesting that the speaker’s relationship with his lover is characterized by a passionate and sometimes destructive intensity.

The theme of desire is also central to the poem, with the speaker describing his lover as “the one I wanted / more than anything.” This desire is portrayed as all-consuming, with the speaker suggesting that he would do anything to be with his lover, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness or well-being. This idea is captured in the line “I would have given anything / to be the one he wanted / more than anything.”

However, as the poem progresses, the tone becomes increasingly melancholic, with the speaker reflecting on the pain and heartbreak that followed the end of his relationship. The use of the phrase “the one who got away” suggests a sense of regret and longing, while the image of the speaker “crying in the dark” conveys a sense of loneliness and despair.

One of the most striking aspects of Love Incarnate is the way in which Bidart uses language to create a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. The poem is written in a confessional style, with the speaker sharing his deepest thoughts and emotions with the reader. This creates a powerful sense of empathy and connection, as the reader is drawn into the speaker’s world and experiences his pain and longing.

The use of repetition is also a key feature of the poem, with certain phrases and images repeated throughout to create a sense of rhythm and intensity. For example, the phrase “the one I wanted / more than anything” is repeated several times, emphasizing the speaker’s desire and the intensity of his emotions. Similarly, the image of the lover’s body as a battlefield is repeated, creating a sense of violence and conflict that underscores the passion and intensity of the relationship.

In conclusion, Love Incarnate is a powerful and moving poem that explores the complexities of love, desire, and loss. Through vivid imagery, confessional language, and the use of repetition, Bidart creates a portrait of a relationship that is both passionate and destructive, capturing the highs and lows of love and its consequences. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to convey the deepest emotions and experiences of the human heart, and a reminder that love can be both beautiful and devastating.

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