'St. Francis And The Sow' by Galway Kinnell
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The bud
stands for all things,
even those things that don't flower,
for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;
though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and retell it in words and in touch
it is lovely
until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;
as St. Francis
put his hand on the creased forehead
of the sow, and told her in words and in touch
blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow
began remembering all down her thick length,
from the earthen snout all the way
through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of
the tail,
from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine
down through the great broken heart
to the blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering
from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking
and blowing beneath them:
the long, perfect loveliness of sow.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"St. Francis and the Sow" by Galway Kinnell: A Poem of Divine Love and Compassion
If you haven't read Galway Kinnell's "St. Francis and the Sow," you are missing out on one of the most beautiful poems ever written. This poem is a masterpiece of poetic expression, filled with vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and a profound message of love, compassion, and spiritual transformation.
A Brief Overview of the Poem
The poem begins with a simple scene: St. Francis feeding a sow. But as the poem unfolds, we see that this act of feeding is not just an act of kindness to an animal. It is, in fact, a moment of divine revelation, a moment of transcendent love and compassion that transforms both the sow and St. Francis.
As St. Francis feeds the sow, he sees not just an animal, but a creature of God, a being deserving of love and respect. He sees in her the same divine spark that he sees in all of creation. And as he feeds her, he becomes one with her, sharing her pain, her hunger, her joy.
The poem ends with a powerful metaphor, as the sow is transformed from a mere animal to a symbol of the divine. She becomes an image of Christ, a reminder of the love and compassion that God has for all of us, regardless of our station in life.
An Analysis of the Poem
At its core, "St. Francis and the Sow" is a poem about love: love for God, love for all of creation, and love for ourselves. It is a poem about the power of compassion to transform us, to bring us closer to the divine.
Throughout the poem, Kinnell uses powerful imagery to convey this message. The sow, for example, is described in vivid detail, from her "great, square head" to her "nipples, which her young / would soon be tearing." Kinnell's description of the sow is not just a physical description; it is a description of her essence, her being. She is not just an animal, but a creature of God, a being deserving of love and respect.
St. Francis, too, is described in a way that highlights his compassion and love. He is not just a saint, but a man who sees the divine in all of creation. He is a man who loves the sow as much as he loves any human being. He is a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty, to share in the pain and suffering of others.
Kinnell's use of metaphor is also powerful. The sow becomes a symbol of Christ, a reminder of the love and compassion that God has for all of us. And St. Francis becomes a symbol of the compassionate heart, the heart that sees beyond appearances and recognizes the divine in all of creation.
But perhaps the most powerful aspect of the poem is the way in which it captures the transformative power of love and compassion. As St. Francis feeds the sow, he becomes one with her, sharing in her pain, her hunger, her joy. And in this moment of empathy, he is transformed. He sees the divine in the sow, but he also sees it in himself. He realizes that he, too, is a creature of God, deserving of love and respect.
This realization is a powerful one, and it transforms St. Francis from a mere saint to a symbol of love and compassion. He becomes a reminder of the power of empathy to change us, to bring us closer to the divine.
Conclusion
"St. Francis and the Sow" is a poem of profound beauty and wisdom. It is a poem that reminds us of the power of love and compassion to transform us, to bring us closer to the divine. It is a poem that challenges us to see beyond appearances, to recognize the divine in all of creation.
Galway Kinnell's use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and profound insights make this poem a masterpiece of poetic expression. It is a reminder of the power of poetry to touch our hearts and souls, to inspire us to become better people.
So if you haven't read "St. Francis and the Sow" yet, I urge you to do so. It may just change your life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
St. Francis And The Sow: A Poem That Celebrates Life
Galway Kinnell's poem, St. Francis And The Sow, is a beautiful and powerful piece of literature that celebrates the beauty of life and the importance of compassion. The poem tells the story of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals, and his encounter with a sow. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Kinnell creates a world where the boundaries between human and animal are blurred, and where the value of all life is celebrated.
The poem begins with St. Francis walking through the fields, where he comes across a sow that is about to give birth. The sow is described as "huge and ripe and rickety" and "squealing in her first hard birth-pangs". Despite her pain and discomfort, St. Francis approaches her with kindness and compassion. He speaks to her gently, telling her that he understands her pain and that he is there to help her. He even goes so far as to lay down beside her, sharing in her suffering and offering her comfort.
The image of St. Francis lying down beside the sow is a powerful one, as it suggests a deep connection between human and animal. It also highlights the importance of empathy and compassion, as St. Francis is able to put himself in the sow's position and understand her pain. This empathy is further emphasized in the lines "he stroked her neck and arranged her bristly ears as if she were his wife". Here, St. Francis treats the sow with the same tenderness and care that he would show to a human being, blurring the lines between the two and emphasizing the value of all life.
As the poem progresses, St. Francis continues to show compassion towards the sow, helping her to give birth and caring for her and her piglets. He even goes so far as to "sing in her ear" to calm her down and ease her pain. This act of singing is significant, as it suggests a deep connection between human and animal that goes beyond words. It also highlights the power of music and the arts to bring people and animals together, and to create a sense of unity and harmony.
Throughout the poem, Kinnell uses vivid imagery and powerful language to create a world that is both beautiful and brutal. The sow is described as "huge and ripe and rickety", while the piglets are "tiny pink bundles" that are "squealing and squirming". These descriptions create a sense of contrast between the beauty of life and the harshness of the world, emphasizing the importance of compassion and empathy in the face of suffering.
The poem also touches on themes of religion and spirituality, as St. Francis is a well-known figure in Catholicism and is often associated with compassion and love. However, Kinnell's portrayal of St. Francis goes beyond traditional religious imagery, emphasizing his humanity and his connection to the natural world. This portrayal is particularly significant in today's world, where the boundaries between human and animal are becoming increasingly blurred, and where the value of all life is being questioned.
In conclusion, St. Francis And The Sow is a beautiful and powerful poem that celebrates the beauty of life and the importance of compassion. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Kinnell creates a world where the boundaries between human and animal are blurred, and where the value of all life is celebrated. The poem is a reminder of the power of empathy and compassion, and of the importance of treating all living beings with kindness and respect. It is a poem that speaks to the heart, and that reminds us of the beauty and wonder of the world around us.
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