'The Armadillo' by Elizabeth Bishop
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For Robert Lowell
This is the time of year
when almost every night
the frail, illegal fire balloons appear.
Climbing the mountain height,
rising toward a saint
still honored in these parts,
the paper chambers flush and fill with light
that comes and goes, like hearts.
Once up against the sky it's hard
to tell them from the stars--
planets, that is--the tinted ones:
Venus going down, or Mars,
or the pale green one. With a wind,
they flare and falter, wobble and toss;
but if it's still they steer between
the kite sticks of the Southern Cross,
receding, dwindling, solemnly
and steadily forsaking us,
or, in the downdraft from a peak,
suddenly turning dangerous.
Last night another big one fell.
It splattered like an egg of fire
against the cliff behind the house.
The flame ran down. We saw the pair
of owls who nest there flying up
and up, their whirling black-and-white
stained bright pink underneath, until
they shrieked up out of sight.
The ancient owls' nest must have burned.
Hastily, all alone,
a glistening armadillo left the scene,
rose-flecked, head down, tail down,
and then a baby rabbit jumped out,
short-eared, to our surprise.
So soft!--a handful of intangible ash
with fixed, ignited eyes.
Too pretty, dreamlike mimicry!
O falling fire and piercing cry
and panic, and a weak mailed fist
clenched ignorant against the sky!
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Armadillo: A Masterpiece in Symbolism and Imagery
"Oh, delicate-filmed as new-spun silk, Will the neighbours say, 'He was a man who used to notice such things'?"
These lines from Elizabeth Bishop's The Armadillo are just a glimpse into the intricate web of symbolism and imagery woven throughout this masterpiece of a poem. From the very first line, Bishop draws the reader into a world of sensory experience and emotional depth, using vivid descriptions to create a powerful atmosphere that lingers long after the last stanza has been read.
At its core, The Armadillo is a meditation on the nature of beauty and the human need to find meaning in the world around us. But it is also a deeply personal reflection on Bishop's own struggles with faith, mortality, and the uncertainty of existence. Through her use of vivid, almost surreal imagery and intricate symbolism, Bishop invites the reader to explore these themes in a way that is both haunting and deeply moving.
The Armadillo and the Fireworks
At the heart of The Armadillo is a striking juxtaposition between the armadillo and the fireworks that surround it. On the surface, these two images seem to have little to do with one another. The armadillo is a small, unassuming creature, while the fireworks are loud, flashy, and larger-than-life. But as the poem progresses, Bishop reveals the deep connections between these seemingly disparate elements.
In the second stanza, Bishop describes how the fireworks "spattered overhead / a rain of fire." This image is both beautiful and terrifying, evoking the awe-inspiring power of nature and the primal fear it can inspire in us. But then, in the very next line, Bishop shifts focus to the armadillo, describing it as "clerkly, acutely, / In its own element." Here, Bishop draws attention to the armadillo's smallness and vulnerability, emphasizing the contrast between its quiet, unassuming presence and the overwhelming power of the fireworks.
This contrast is further underscored in the final stanza of the poem, where the armadillo's "delicate-filmed" eyes are compared to "the petals of a wet, black bough." Here, Bishop draws a parallel between the armadillo's vulnerability and the fragile beauty of the natural world. The armadillo, like the bough, is at the mercy of forces beyond its control - forces that can be beautiful and life-giving, but also destructive and deadly.
But why choose an armadillo to represent this sense of fragility and vulnerability? After all, armadillos are hardly the most emblematic or poetic of creatures. And yet, it is precisely this quality of the armadillo - its unassuming, almost comical appearance - that makes it such a powerful symbol in Bishop's poem. By choosing an animal that is so far removed from the world of grandeur and spectacle that the fireworks represent, Bishop forces the reader to confront the fragility of life in a way that is both unexpected and deeply affecting.
The Armadillo and Faith
Another key theme in The Armadillo is the struggle to find meaning in a world that can often seem chaotic and arbitrary. This theme is particularly clear in the final stanza of the poem, where Bishop asks whether the armadillo's death "was the change that came?" Here, Bishop is grappling with the idea of mortality and the uncertainty that comes with it - the sense that death may be nothing more than another arbitrary event in a universe that is fundamentally chaotic and indifferent.
But there is also a deeper, more spiritual dimension to this struggle. Throughout the poem, Bishop invokes images of religious devotion and ritual - from the "faint, uneasy smouldering" of the bonfire to the "holy hush" that falls over the crowd as the armadillo approaches. These images suggest a yearning for something beyond the material world - a desire for transcendence and meaning that is deeply rooted in our human nature.
At the same time, however, Bishop is deeply skeptical of the dogmatism and certainty that often characterize religious belief. In the second stanza, for example, she describes the fireworks as a "secular white sky populated with / a million handy sparks." This image emphasizes the ephemeral, fleeting nature of our human ambitions and desires, which can never hope to compare with the enduring beauty and majesty of the natural world.
Ultimately, then, The Armadillo is a poem that is both deeply personal and universal. By using intricate symbolism and vivid imagery to explore themes of fragility, mortality, and faith, Bishop invites the reader to reflect on the big questions that underlie our human experience. In doing so, she creates a work of art that is both hauntingly beautiful and deeply moving - a true masterpiece of modern poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Armadillo: A Masterpiece of Poetic Imagery and Symbolism
Elizabeth Bishop's poem "The Armadillo" is a classic example of how a poet can use vivid imagery and symbolism to convey a deeper meaning. The poem is a tribute to the annual fireworks display that takes place in Brazil during the feast of St. John. However, it is much more than just a description of a festive event. The poem is a meditation on the nature of beauty, violence, and human frailty.
The poem begins with a description of the scene. The speaker describes the "fire balloons" rising into the sky, and the "rocket's red glare" illuminating the night. The scene is one of beauty and wonder, but it is also one of danger. The speaker notes that the "children watch with bulging eyes," and that the "dogs are whimpering to be let in." The beauty of the fireworks is tempered by the fear and anxiety that it causes.
The poem then takes a turn, as the speaker describes the arrival of an armadillo. The armadillo is a symbol of the natural world, and its appearance in the midst of the fireworks is jarring. The speaker notes that the armadillo "trundles" across the road, and that it is "clumsy" and "awkward." The armadillo is out of place in this world of human creation, and its presence is a reminder of the fragility of the natural world.
The speaker then describes the reaction of the crowd to the armadillo. The children are excited, and the adults are amused. However, the speaker notes that the armadillo is "terrified" and "bewildered." The armadillo is a victim of the human desire for spectacle and entertainment. Its presence in this world of human creation is a reminder of the violence that humans inflict on the natural world.
The poem then takes another turn, as the speaker describes the reaction of the fireworks to the armadillo. The fireworks become more intense and violent, as if in response to the armadillo's presence. The speaker notes that the "sky is ripped apart" and that the "stars go out." The beauty of the fireworks is transformed into a violent display of power. The armadillo is caught in the middle of this display, and its fate is uncertain.
The poem ends with a description of the aftermath of the fireworks. The speaker notes that the "smoke drifts and spreads" and that the "dogs creep back to kennels." The beauty and violence of the fireworks have passed, and the world returns to its normal state. However, the armadillo's fate is left unresolved. The poem ends with the image of the armadillo "clumsily" trying to escape, a symbol of the natural world struggling to survive in the face of human violence.
In "The Armadillo," Elizabeth Bishop uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey a powerful message about the relationship between humans and the natural world. The fireworks display is a symbol of human creation and the desire for spectacle and entertainment. The armadillo is a symbol of the natural world, and its presence in this world of human creation is a reminder of the fragility of nature. The violence of the fireworks is a reminder of the violence that humans inflict on the natural world. The poem is a meditation on the nature of beauty, violence, and human frailty, and it is a powerful reminder of the need to respect and protect the natural world.
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