'Picture Postcard From The Other World' by Philip Levine

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


Since I don't know who will be reading
this or even if it will be read, I must
invent someone on the other end
of eternity, a distant cousin laboring
under the same faint stars I labored
all those unnumbered years ago. I make you
like me in everything I can -- a man
or woman in middle years who having
lost whatever faiths he held goes on
with only the faith that even more
will be lost. Like me a wanderer,
someone with a taste for coastal towns
sparkling in the cold winter sun, boardwalks
without walkers, perfect beaches shrouded
in the dense fogs of December, morning cafes
before the second customer arrives,
the cats have been fed, and the proprietor
stops muttering into the cold dishwater.
I give you the gift of language, my gift
and no more, so that wherever you go
words fall around you meaning no more
than the full force of their making, and you
translate the clicking of teeth against
teeth and tongue as morning light spilling
into the enclosed squares of a white town,
breath drawn in and held as the ocean
when no one sees it, the waves still,
the fishing boats drift in a calm beyond sleep.
The gift of sleep, too, and the waking
from it day after day without knowing
why the small sunlit room with its single bed,
white counterpane going yellow, and bare floor
holds itself with such assurance
while the flaming nebulae of dust
swirl around you. And the sense not to ask.
Like me you rise immediately and sit
on the bed's edge and let whatever dream
of a childhood home or a rightful place
you had withdraw into the long shadows
of the tilted wardrobe and the one chair.
Before you've even washed your face you
see it on the bedoilied chiffonier -- there,
balanced precariously on the orange you bought
at yesterday's market and saved for now.
Someone entered soundlessly while you slept
and left you sleeping and left this postcard
from me and thought to close the door
with no more fuss than the moon makes.
There's your name in black ink in a hand
as familiar as your own and not
your own, and the address even you
didn't know you'd have an hour before
you got it. When you turn it over,
there it is, not the photo of a star,
or the bright sailboats your sister would
have chosen or the green urban meadows
my brother painted. What is it? It could be
another planet just after its birth
except that at the center the colors
are earth colors. It could be the cloud
that formed above the rivers of our blood,
the one that brought rain to a dry time
or took wine from a hungry one. It could
be my way of telling you that I too
burned and froze by turns and the face I
came to was more dirt than flame, it
could be the face I put on everything,
or it could be my way of saying
nothing and saying it perfectly.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Picture Postcard From The Other World: A Masterpiece from Philip Levine

Are you familiar with the works of Philip Levine, one of the greatest poets of the 20th century? He was a master of capturing the essence of the working-class experience, and his poetry often reflected the struggles and hardships of everyday people. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore Levine's classic poem, "Picture Postcard From The Other World," and examine its themes and imagery in detail.

Overview of the Poem

"Picture Postcard From The Other World" is a short poem consisting of only six stanzas, each containing two lines. It was originally published in Levine's 1979 collection "Ashes: Poems New and Old" and has since become one of his most well-known works. The poem is written from the perspective of a deceased factory worker who is sending a postcard to his former coworkers from the afterlife.

Themes and Interpretation

The themes of "Picture Postcard From The Other World" are numerous and complex. At its core, the poem is an exploration of the afterlife and what it means to die. The speaker is writing from the other side, and his words are filled with nostalgia and regret. He remembers his former life and the people he left behind, and he longs to communicate with them once more.

The poem also touches on themes of the working-class experience and the struggles of blue-collar workers. The speaker is a factory worker, and his language is filled with references to the machinery and tools he used in his job. He is proud of the work he did, but he is also aware of the toll it took on his body and his spirit.

Another important theme in the poem is the idea of communication and connection. The speaker is separated from his former coworkers by death, but he is still trying to reach out to them. His postcard is a way of bridging the gap between the living and the dead, and it suggests that even in death, we are still connected to the people we knew in life.

Imagery and Language

The imagery and language in "Picture Postcard From The Other World" are rich and evocative. Levine's use of metaphor and symbolism is particularly effective in conveying the themes of the poem.

One of the most striking images in the poem is the reference to the "gray mist" that separates the living from the dead. This mist symbolizes the barrier that separates the two worlds, and it suggests that even in death, there is still a sense of distance and separation.

The postcard itself is also an important image in the poem. It represents a form of communication that transcends death, and it suggests that even in the afterlife, we are still able to reach out to the people we knew in life.

Levine's use of language is also noteworthy. The poem is written in a simple, straightforward style that reflects the speaker's working-class background. The language is filled with references to factory work and machinery, and it conveys a sense of pride and accomplishment in the work that the speaker did in life.

Critical Analysis

"Picture Postcard From The Other World" is a masterful poem that speaks to the human experience in profound ways. Levine's use of language and imagery is both powerful and evocative, and the themes of the poem are complex and deeply moving.

One of the most impressive aspects of the poem is its ability to capture the experience of the working-class in a way that is both realistic and poetic. The speaker's language is filled with references to the tools and machinery of his trade, and it conveys a sense of pride and accomplishment in the work that he did. At the same time, the poem acknowledges the toll that this work took on the speaker's body and spirit, and it hints at the broader societal issues that contribute to the struggles of blue-collar workers.

Another impressive aspect of the poem is its exploration of the afterlife and what it means to die. The speaker's postcard is a powerful symbol of communication and connection, suggesting that even in death, we are still able to reach out to the people we knew in life. The reference to the gray mist that separates the living from the dead is also a powerful image, suggesting that there is still a sense of distance and separation even in the afterlife.

Overall, "Picture Postcard From The Other World" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. Its themes and imagery are powerful and thought-provoking, and its language is both poetic and realistic. Philip Levine was a master of capturing the human experience, and this poem is a testament to his skill and vision as a poet.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Picture Postcard From The Other World: A Masterpiece of Philip Levine

Philip Levine, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, is known for his poignant and evocative poems that explore the lives of working-class people. His poem "Picture Postcard From The Other World" is a masterpiece that captures the essence of the human experience and the fleeting nature of life.

The poem is a haunting meditation on death and the afterlife. It is written in the form of a postcard from the other world, sent by a deceased loved one to the living. The speaker of the poem is the deceased, who is writing to his or her loved ones from beyond the grave. The postcard is a message of hope and comfort, assuring the living that death is not the end and that the deceased is still with them in spirit.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the other world as a place of "eternal light" and "endless peace." The language is ethereal and dreamlike, creating a sense of otherworldliness and transcendence. The speaker then goes on to describe the beauty of the other world, with its "fields of gold" and "rivers of silver." The imagery is vivid and evocative, painting a picture of a paradise beyond our earthly realm.

However, the poem takes a darker turn as the speaker acknowledges the pain and sorrow of the living. The speaker tells the living that they must "weep and mourn" for the deceased, but also reminds them that they must "rejoice and sing" for the life that was lived. The poem is a reminder that death is a natural part of life, and that we must embrace both the joy and the sorrow that comes with it.

The poem also explores the idea of memory and legacy. The speaker tells the living that they must remember the deceased, and that their memory will live on through their words and deeds. The poem is a testament to the power of memory and the importance of preserving the stories of those who have passed on.

One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of language. Levine's language is simple and direct, yet it is also deeply poetic and evocative. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, creating a sense of depth and complexity that belies its simplicity.

The poem also has a strong sense of rhythm and musicality. The lines are short and staccato, creating a sense of urgency and momentum. The poem is almost like a song, with its repetitive structure and musical language.

Overall, "Picture Postcard From The Other World" is a masterpiece of poetry. It is a haunting and beautiful meditation on death and the afterlife, and a reminder of the power of memory and legacy. Levine's language is simple yet deeply poetic, creating a sense of depth and complexity that is both moving and profound. The poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience and to touch our hearts and souls.

Editor Recommended Sites

Flutter Widgets: Explanation and options of all the flutter widgets, and best practice
Data Governance - Best cloud data governance practices & AWS and GCP Data Governance solutions: Learn cloud data governance and find the best highest rated resources
Declarative: Declaratively manage your infrastructure as code
Polars: Site dedicated to tutorials on the Polars rust framework, similar to python pandas
Model Ops: Large language model operations, retraining, maintenance and fine tuning

Recommended Similar Analysis

Canto 13 by Ezra Pound analysis
Grey Monk, The by William Blake analysis
I felt a cleaving in my mind by Emily Dickinson analysis
Good -bye, and Keep Cold by Robert Lee Frost analysis
The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter by Ezra Pound analysis
Root Cellar by Theodore Roethke analysis
Eurydice by H.D. analysis
Hidden by Naomi Shihab Nye analysis
Meditations Divine and Moral by Anne Bradstreet analysis
Come Into The Garden, Maud by Alfred Lord Tennyson analysis