'Sympathy' by Eileen Myles

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She's rubbing his shoulder
and he's reading about
Western birds. There's a scoop
of light just above my knee

it resembles the world, the one I know
a layer of smoke spread thin, a shelf

my mind returns again &
again to the picture
you gave me. In pain.
I'm holding the receiver
in Denver some woman making
human eyes at me from her
blue seat, but I later
conclude she's crazy

I'm helpless, rushing back to fix the
"h," how can I help you

I think we tried this long enough
our cure
we would save us from everybody
else, we "got" it,
us

and now we're another falling down car
complaining animal
empty house

you bleeding & expanding
until

the red night itself
is your endless disappointment
in me
who promised so much
on that hill

O Glory to everybody & everything
that we will fish again & again
& get lucky


Anonymous submission.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sympathy by Eileen Myles: A Deep Dive into the Poem

Are you a fan of poetry that speaks to the soul? Then I have just the poem for you - Sympathy by Eileen Myles. This poem is a beautiful exploration of the human experience, touching on themes of pain, vulnerability, and empathy. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I'll be taking a deep dive into Sympathy, examining its structure, language, and underlying meaning. So buckle up and let's get started!

Overview

Sympathy is a free verse poem that was first published in Myles' 1987 collection, Not Me. At its core, the poem is an exploration of the concept of empathy, specifically the idea that it's impossible to truly understand someone else's pain. Throughout the poem, Myles uses vivid imagery and raw, emotional language to convey the depth of feeling that can come with trying to connect with another person's suffering.

Structure

Before we jump into the content of the poem, let's take a look at its structure. Sympathy is a relatively short poem, consisting of just 24 lines. It's divided into three stanzas, with the first and last stanzas being six lines each, and the middle stanza being twelve lines. The poem is written in free verse, meaning that it doesn't follow a strict rhyme or meter scheme. Instead, Myles allows the language to flow freely, creating an almost stream-of-consciousness effect.

One interesting thing to note about the structure of Sympathy is the repetition of certain words and phrases. For example, the first and last lines of the poem both begin with the word "it," creating a sense of circularity and continuity. Additionally, the phrase "it's hard" appears twice in the poem, first in the second line and again in the eighth line. By repeating certain phrases, Myles emphasizes the central themes of the poem and creates a sense of unity and coherence.

Language

One of the most striking things about Sympathy is its raw, emotional language. Myles doesn't hold back in her exploration of pain and vulnerability. She uses vivid, almost visceral imagery to convey the depth of feeling that can come with trying to understand someone else's suffering. Consider the following lines, which describe the sensation of being overwhelmed by another person's pain:

It's hard to look at suffering and then try to speak
it's like you're gagged and can't breathe

These lines are incredibly powerful, conveying a sense of suffocation and helplessness. Myles creates a vivid image of someone struggling to articulate their thoughts and feelings in the face of intense emotional pain.

Throughout the poem, Myles also uses repetition to great effect. Consider the following lines:

it's like a barbed wire fence
it's like a wall

Here, Myles uses repetition to emphasize the difficulty of breaking through barriers and truly connecting with someone else. The repeated phrases create a sense of frustration and hopelessness, underscoring the poem's central message that true empathy is a difficult, if not impossible, goal.

Interpretation

So what is Sympathy really about? On the surface, the poem is an exploration of the concept of empathy, specifically the idea that it's impossible to truly understand someone else's pain. Myles uses vivid imagery and raw, emotional language to convey the depth of feeling that can come with trying to connect with another person's suffering.

But I would argue that there's a deeper, more universal message at play here. Sympathy is ultimately a poem about the human experience, about the struggle to connect with others and make sense of our own pain and suffering. By emphasizing the difficulty of empathy, Myles highlights the fact that we are all trapped inside our own heads, unable to fully understand the experiences of others.

Consider the following lines from the poem:

it's hard to imagine someone else's life
it's hard to imagine your own

Here, Myles is drawing a parallel between the difficulty of empathizing with others and the difficulty of truly understanding ourselves. Both tasks are incredibly challenging, and both involve an element of vulnerability and self-examination.

Ultimately, then, Sympathy is a poem about the human condition. It speaks to our deepest fears and desires, our need for connection and understanding. By exploring the limits of empathy, Myles encourages us to be more compassionate and forgiving towards ourselves and others, recognizing that we are all struggling to make sense of a world that can be incredibly difficult and painful.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sympathy is a powerful and deeply moving poem that speaks to the human experience in profound ways. Through its vivid imagery and raw emotional language, Myles explores the concept of empathy and the difficulty of truly understanding another person's pain. But beyond that, the poem is a universal exploration of the human condition, reminding us that we are all struggling to make sense of a world that can be incredibly difficult and confusing. If you haven't read Sympathy yet, I highly recommend checking it out - it's a truly beautiful piece of writing that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sympathy by Eileen Myles is a classic poem that has been celebrated for its depth and emotional resonance. The poem is a powerful reflection on the human experience and the struggles that we all face in life. In this analysis, we will explore the themes and motifs that are present in the poem, as well as the literary devices that Myles employs to convey her message.

The poem begins with the speaker expressing a desire to be free from the constraints of society. The speaker longs to break free from the expectations that have been placed upon them and to live a life that is true to their own desires. This theme of freedom is a recurring motif throughout the poem, and it is a reflection of the human desire to be free from the constraints of society.

As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to reflect on the struggles that they have faced in life. The speaker describes the pain and suffering that they have experienced, and they express a desire to be understood and to be shown sympathy. This theme of sympathy is another recurring motif in the poem, and it is a reflection of the human need for connection and understanding.

One of the most striking aspects of the poem is the way that Myles employs literary devices to convey her message. The poem is full of vivid imagery and metaphors that help to bring the speaker's experiences to life. For example, the speaker describes themselves as being "like a bird in a cage," which is a powerful metaphor for the way that society can constrain and limit us.

Another literary device that Myles employs is repetition. Throughout the poem, the speaker repeats the phrase "I want to be free" multiple times. This repetition helps to emphasize the importance of this theme and to convey the intensity of the speaker's desire for freedom.

The poem also contains a number of allusions to other works of literature. For example, the speaker references the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. This reference helps to connect the speaker's experiences to a broader cultural context and to emphasize the universality of their struggles.

Overall, Sympathy by Eileen Myles is a powerful and emotionally resonant poem that explores the human experience in a profound way. The poem is full of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and literary devices that help to convey the speaker's message. Through its exploration of themes such as freedom and sympathy, the poem speaks to the universal struggles that we all face in life.

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