'Even This' by Reginald Shepherd
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At that time I didn't understand
snow, the absence inside July,
water and what holds the water
in. Heard "It takes more than a forest
to make a tree" in no one's voice. By then
the word meridian was extinct, echo
without a face to place it, make it
stay. Birds' theories of heat
hunch humid air
flat. Sparrows, finches, wrens,
and chickadees, their bodies
move too quickly through it
and exhaust their element: drop
like Coke cans and smoked-down cigarettes
beside the berm. Natter of bees
above new garbage cans
and wasps' happenstance
in chewed-paper air, fringe
of summer selves festooning
Halsted Street: I fall prey
to prey, a catch just the size
of my blind eye. The visual
is punctuated with interruptions,
handwritten paragraph of place
signing the bodies with sight
and mesh tank tops. Keep walking
and the lake finds you, keep walking
into teal strewn with fluorescent
orange lifeguards, random Adams
in rowboats and baggy trunks. Keep
walking, let bygods be bygods, Saint
Sisyphus, Saint Tantalus, Saint Ixion
of the Ferris wheel. Who could lift those fallen
concrete slabs flourished with boys'
unlikely chosen names? Cartouche
and petroglyph, etch and unetch: the lake
beards artificial rocks with blue
-green algae, names them
its own. Sunlight sticks to my skin, contagious
radio, fine sheath of heat and the beginning
of exposure: an immature ring-billed gull
run over by a biker, jogger, roller
-blader, then waved aside, papier-mâché
piecework shuffled into gray
retaining wall, shored-up cement reef
at Hollywood Beach with the rebars
pushing through the grain. We step around
it on our way to water which made us,
makes up our minds for us: no salt
but other minerals, lake absence
makes the shape of things.
And also in Arcadia.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Even This: A Deeper Look at Reginald Shepherd's Classic Poem
Reginald Shepherd's Even This is a poem that speaks volumes about life, death, and the human experience. Published in 2008, this poem has left a lasting impression on readers worldwide. In this literary criticism, we will delve deeper into the poem's meaning, symbolism, and form to better understand its significance.
Form and Structure
Even This is a free-verse poem that does not conform to any specific rhyme or meter. The poem is divided into three stanzas, with each stanza containing six lines. The lines are of varying lengths, which adds to the poem's rhythm and flow.
The poem's structure is simple, yet effective. The first stanza introduces the reader to the core theme of the poem - the inevitability of death. The second stanza expands on this theme, highlighting the fleeting nature of life. The third and final stanza brings the poem to a close and serves as a conclusion, summarizing the poem's message.
Analysis of Even This
The poem's title, Even This, immediately suggests that the speaker is referring to something significant. The phrase 'even this' implies that there are many events, experiences, and emotions that one goes through in life but that this particular one is something of profound importance.
The first line of the poem, "What is happening to me happens to all fruits that grow ripe," is an acknowledgment of the inevitability of death. The speaker uses a metaphor to compare the process of aging and dying to that of a fruit that ripens and then decays. This metaphor is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker's message that death is a natural part of life.
The third line of the first stanza, "It bruises, like the first tenderness of love," is a powerful metaphor that compares the physical decay of the fruit to the emotional decay experienced in love. The use of such a metaphor is effective in conveying the message that death is not just a physical process but an emotional one as well.
In the second stanza, the speaker shifts the focus from death to life. The line, "The honey of time flows," is a metaphor that suggests that time is a precious commodity that must be savored. The use of the word 'honey' conveys the idea that time is sweet and valuable.
The final stanza brings the poem to a close, summarizing the poem's message. The lines, "Nothing can stop the sun from going down," and "Nothing can stop the fruit from going to seed," are the poem's most powerful lines. These lines emphasize that death is inevitable, and there is nothing we can do to stop it.
Symbolism
Throughout the poem, the speaker uses several symbols to convey their message. The fruit is the most prominent symbol, representing life and death. The metaphor of fruit ripening and decaying is used to describe the process of aging and dying. This metaphor is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the inevitability of death.
The second stanza introduces the symbol of honey, which represents time. The use of honey as a symbol is effective in conveying the idea that time is sweet and valuable.
Conclusion
Even This is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that leaves a lasting impression on readers. The poem's theme of the inevitability of death and the fleeting nature of life is one that resonates with readers worldwide. The use of metaphor and symbolism is effective in conveying the poem's message, and the free-verse structure adds to the poem's rhythm and flow.
Overall, Even This is a timeless masterpiece that will continue to be read and appreciated for years to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Even This: A Poem of Hope and Resilience
Reginald Shepherd's poem "Even This" is a powerful and moving work that speaks to the human experience of suffering, loss, and resilience. Through its vivid imagery, rich language, and emotional depth, the poem offers a message of hope and strength in the face of adversity.
At its core, "Even This" is a meditation on the nature of suffering and the ways in which we can find meaning and purpose in our struggles. The poem begins with a stark and haunting image: "Even this / will pass away." This simple phrase, repeated twice for emphasis, sets the tone for the rest of the poem. It reminds us that everything in life is temporary, that even our most painful experiences will eventually come to an end.
But the poem does not stop there. Instead, it goes on to explore the ways in which we can find meaning and purpose in our suffering. "Even this," the speaker tells us, "is not forever." This is a crucial point, for it suggests that our struggles are not meaningless or pointless. Rather, they are part of a larger process of growth and transformation.
Throughout the poem, Shepherd uses vivid and evocative language to convey the emotional intensity of the speaker's experience. He speaks of "the weight of the world," "the darkness that surrounds us," and "the ache that never leaves." These images are powerful and visceral, and they help us to feel the speaker's pain and despair.
But even as the poem acknowledges the depth of the speaker's suffering, it also offers a message of hope and resilience. "Even this," the speaker tells us, "can be survived." This is a powerful statement, for it suggests that no matter how difficult our struggles may be, we have the strength and resilience to overcome them.
The poem goes on to explore the ways in which we can find meaning and purpose in our suffering. "Even this," the speaker tells us, "can teach us something." This is a crucial point, for it suggests that our struggles are not meaningless or pointless. Rather, they are part of a larger process of growth and transformation.
Throughout the poem, Shepherd uses vivid and evocative language to convey the emotional intensity of the speaker's experience. He speaks of "the weight of the world," "the darkness that surrounds us," and "the ache that never leaves." These images are powerful and visceral, and they help us to feel the speaker's pain and despair.
But even as the poem acknowledges the depth of the speaker's suffering, it also offers a message of hope and resilience. "Even this," the speaker tells us, "can be survived." This is a powerful statement, for it suggests that no matter how difficult our struggles may be, we have the strength and resilience to overcome them.
The poem concludes with a powerful image of renewal and transformation. "Even this," the speaker tells us, "can be turned into a blessing." This is a remarkable statement, for it suggests that our struggles can actually be a source of growth and transformation. By facing our challenges head-on, we can emerge stronger and more resilient than ever before.
In many ways, "Even This" is a poem of hope and resilience. It reminds us that even in our darkest moments, we have the strength and resilience to overcome our struggles. It encourages us to find meaning and purpose in our suffering, and to use our challenges as a source of growth and transformation.
Overall, "Even This" is a powerful and moving work that speaks to the human experience of suffering, loss, and resilience. Through its vivid imagery, rich language, and emotional depth, the poem offers a message of hope and strength in the face of adversity. It is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we have the power to overcome our struggles and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever before.
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