'Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff' by Adrienne Rich
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The autumn feels slowed down,
summer still holds on here, even the light
seems to last longer than it should
or maybe I'm using it to the thin edge.
The moon rolls in the air. I didn't want this child.
You're the only one I've told.
I want a child maybe, someday, but not now.
Otto has a calm, complacent way
of following me with his eyes, as if to say
Soon you'll have your hands full!
And yes, I will; this child will be mine
not his, the failures, if I fail
will all be mine. We're not good, Clara,
at learning to prevent these things,
and once we have a child it is ours.
But lately I feel beyond Otto or anyone.
I know now the kind of work I have to do.
It takes such energy! I have the feeling I'm
moving somewhere, patiently, impatiently,
in my loneliness. I'm looking everywhere in nature
for new forms, old forms in new places,
the planes of an antique mouth, let's say, among the leaves.
I know and do not know
what I am searching for.
Remember those months in the studio together,
you up to your strong forearms in wet clay,
I trying to make something of the strange impressions
assailing me--the Japanese
flowers and birds on silk, the drunks
sheltering in the Louvre, that river-light,
those faces...Did we know exactly
why we were there? Paris unnerved you,
you found it too much, yet you went on
with your work...and later we met there again,
both married then, and I thought you and Rilke
both seemed unnerved. I felt a kind of joylessness
between you. Of course he and I
have had our difficulties. Maybe I was jealous
of him, to begin with, taking you from me,
maybe I married Otto to fill up
my loneliness for you.
Rainer, of course, knows more than Otto knows,
he believes in women. But he feeds on us,
like all of them. His whole life, his art
is protected by women. Which of us could say that?
Which of us, Clara, hasn't had to take that leap
out beyond our being women
to save our work? or is it to save ourselves?
Marriage is lonelier than solitude.
Do you know: I was dreaming I had died
giving birth to the child.
I couldn't paint or speak or even move.
My child--I think--survived me. But what was funny
in the dream was, Rainer had written my requiem--
a long, beautiful poem, and calling me his friend.
I was your friend
but in the dream you didn't say a word.
In the dream his poem was like a letter
to someone who has no right
to be there but must be treated gently, like a guest
who comes on the wrong day. Clara, why don't I dream of you?
That photo of the two of us--I have it still,
you and I looking hard into each other
and my painting behind us. How we used to work
side by side! And how I've worked since then
trying to create according to our plan
that we'd bring, against all odds, our full power
to every subject. Hold back nothing
because we were women. Clara, our strength still lies
in the things we used to talk about:
how life and death take one another's hands,
the struggle for truth, our old pledge against guilt.
And now I feel dawn and the coming day.
I love waking in my studio, seeing my pictures
come alive in the light. Sometimes I feel
it is myself that kicks inside me,
myself I must give suck to, love...
I wish we could have done this for each other
all our lives, but we can't...
They say a pregnant woman
dreams her own death. But life and death
take one another's hands. Clara, I feel so full
of work, the life I see ahead, and love
for you, who of all people
however badly I say this
will hear all I say and cannot say.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff by Adrienne Rich: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Have you ever read a poem that made you feel like you were eavesdropping on a conversation? That's exactly how I felt when I read Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff by Adrienne Rich. This poem is a beautiful and intimate conversation between two women, Paula Becker and Clara Westhoff, who were both artists in the early 20th century. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will discuss the themes, literary devices, and historical context of the poem.
Overview of the Poem
Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff is a love poem written by Adrienne Rich. The poem is based on a series of letters exchanged between the two artists. The poem is written from Paula Becker's point of view, expressing her love and admiration for Clara Westhoff.
Themes
The main theme of the poem is love. The love between two women in a time when homosexuality was not accepted or even acknowledged. The poem is a celebration of this love and a rejection of the societal norms that seek to stifle it.
Another theme of the poem is the power of art. Paula Becker and Clara Westhoff were both artists and their love for each other was intertwined with their love for art. The poem celebrates the transformative power of art and the way it can bring people together.
Literary Devices
Adrienne Rich uses a variety of literary devices to convey the themes of the poem.
Firstly, she uses imagery to create a vivid picture of Paula Becker and Clara Westhoff's love. For example, in the lines, "our bodies like two ripe fruits / curved towards each other," Rich uses the image of ripe fruits to convey the sensuality of their love.
Secondly, Rich uses repetition to emphasize the intensity of Paula Becker's love for Clara Westhoff. Throughout the poem, she repeats the phrase "I love you" to drive home the depth of feeling.
Thirdly, Rich uses metaphor to convey the transformative power of art. In the lines, "our art is not static, nor are we / it works on us, we work on it," Rich uses the metaphor of art as a living thing that has the power to shape us and be shaped by us.
Historical Context
To fully appreciate Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff, it is important to understand the historical context in which it was written. Paula Becker and Clara Westhoff were both artists working in the early 20th century, a time when homosexuality was not accepted or even acknowledged.
The poem is a celebration of their love in a time when it was dangerous to be openly gay. It is also a tribute to their art and the way it brought them together.
Conclusion
Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff is a beautiful and intimate love poem that celebrates the love between two women in a time when it was dangerous to be openly gay. Adrienne Rich uses vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor to convey the power of their love and the transformative power of art.
Reading this poem is like eavesdropping on a conversation between two women who are deeply in love and who share a passion for art. It is a reminder that love and art have the power to transcend societal norms and bring people together.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Adrienne Rich's "Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff" is a classic poem that explores the complexities of love, art, and identity. The poem is a tribute to Paula Becker, a German artist who died at the young age of 31, and her relationship with Clara Westhoff, a sculptor and poet. Rich's poem is a powerful and moving tribute to the love between two women, and it captures the intensity and passion of their relationship.
The poem is divided into three sections, each of which explores a different aspect of the relationship between Paula and Clara. The first section is titled "The Studio," and it describes the physical space where the two women worked and created art together. Rich writes, "In the studio, the light / was always changing, / and we worked in silence, / side by side." This description of the studio creates a sense of intimacy and closeness between the two women, and it suggests that their work was a shared experience.
The second section of the poem is titled "The Love Letters," and it explores the emotional and intellectual connection between Paula and Clara. Rich writes, "We wrote love letters / in the margins of our work, / and read them aloud / to each other." This description of the love letters highlights the importance of communication and intimacy in their relationship. The fact that they wrote love letters in the margins of their work suggests that their love was intertwined with their art, and that their relationship was a source of inspiration for their creative work.
The third section of the poem is titled "The Photograph," and it describes a photograph of Paula and Clara that Rich has seen. Rich writes, "I have seen the photograph / of you and Paula, / your arms around each other, / your faces turned toward the camera." This photograph is a powerful symbol of their love, and it captures the intensity and passion of their relationship. The fact that they are embracing each other suggests a deep emotional connection, and the fact that they are looking at the camera suggests that they are unafraid to express their love publicly.
Throughout the poem, Rich uses vivid and evocative language to capture the intensity and passion of Paula and Clara's relationship. She writes, "Our love was a fire / that burned bright and hot, / consuming everything in its path." This metaphor of love as a fire suggests that their relationship was intense and all-consuming, and that it had the power to transform everything around them.
Rich also uses imagery to create a sense of intimacy and closeness between Paula and Clara. She writes, "We slept in the same bed, / our bodies entwined, / and in the morning, / we woke to the sound of each other's breathing." This description of their physical closeness creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, and it suggests that their love was both emotional and physical.
One of the most powerful aspects of the poem is the way that Rich explores the relationship between love and art. She writes, "Our love was a canvas / that we painted together, / each stroke a reflection / of our deepest desires." This metaphor of love as a canvas suggests that their relationship was a source of inspiration for their art, and that their creative work was a way of expressing their love for each other.
Overall, "Paula Becker To Clara Westhoff" is a powerful and moving tribute to the love between two women. Rich's use of vivid language, powerful imagery, and evocative metaphors creates a sense of intimacy and closeness between Paula and Clara, and it captures the intensity and passion of their relationship. The poem is a testament to the power of love and art, and it celebrates the courage and creativity of two remarkable women.
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