'The Borders' by Sharon Olds
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To say that she came into me,
from another world, is not true.
Nothing comes into the universe
and nothing leaves it.
My mother—I mean my daughter did not
enter me. She began to exist
inside me—she appeared within me.
And my mother did not enter me.
When she lay down, to pray, on me,
she was always ferociously courteous,
fastidious with Puritan fastidiousness,
but the barrier of my skin failed, the barrier of my
body fell, the barrier of my spirit.
She aroused and magnetized my skin, I wanted
ardently to please her, I would say to her
what she wanted to hear, as if I were hers.
I served her willingly, and then
became very much like her, fiercely
out for myself.
When my daughter was in me, I felt I had
a soul in me. But it was born with her.
But when she cried, one night, such pure crying,
I said I will take care of you, I will
put you first. I will not ever
have a daughter the way she had me,
I will not ever swim in you
the way my mother swam in me and I
felt myself swum in. I will never know anyone
again the way I knew my mother,
the gates of the human fallen.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Borders: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Oh, The Borders by Sharon Olds, what a poem! This masterpiece of poetry is a compelling piece that explores the complex relationship between a mother and her daughter. The poem is a beautiful depiction of the love, conflict, and tension that exist between the two.
The Borders is a short but powerful poem that uses vivid imagery and a beautiful narrative to convey its message. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the meaning, themes, and literary devices used in the poem.
Summary of the Poem
The poem is about a mother and daughter who are on a trip to the Canadian border. They are standing on the border, looking at the two countries. The mother describes the beauty of both countries, but the daughter seems uninterested.
As they stand there, the mother reflects on her relationship with her daughter. She remembers holding her when she was a baby and how close they were. However, as the daughter grew older, their relationship became more strained.
The mother wonders why this happened and thinks about the things she did wrong. She wishes she could go back in time and fix things. The poem ends with the mother and daughter standing on the border, looking at the two countries, but still feeling the divide between them.
Themes in The Borders
The poem explores several themes, including:
Mother-Daughter Relationship
The primary theme of the poem is the mother-daughter relationship. Olds uses the imagery of the border to represent the divide between the two. The mother and daughter are physically together, but emotionally they are on opposite sides of the border.
The poem explores the complexity of this relationship. The mother reflects on the closeness they shared when the daughter was a baby. However, as the daughter grew older, their relationship became more strained. The mother wishes she could go back in time and fix things, but she can't.
The poem highlights the conflict and tension that exist between mothers and daughters. It demonstrates that even though this relationship is often close, it can also be fraught with difficulties.
Regret and Nostalgia
The poem also explores the theme of regret and nostalgia. The mother remembers the time when she and her daughter were close. She reflects on the things she did wrong and wishes she could go back in time and fix them.
This theme is portrayed through the mother's language and tone. She speaks with regret and longing, expressing her desire to go back in time and fix things. This creates a sense of nostalgia and sadness in the poem.
National Identity
The poem also explores the theme of national identity. The mother describes the beauty of both America and Canada, highlighting the differences between the two countries. This theme is used to create a sense of physical and emotional distance between the mother and daughter.
Literary Devices in The Borders
The poem uses several literary devices to create its impact, some of which include:
Imagery
The poem uses imagery to create a clear and vivid picture of the mother and daughter's journey to the border. The imagery of the border itself is used to represent the divide between the two.
Olds also uses imagery to describe the beauty of both America and Canada, creating a sense of contrast between the two countries.
Metaphor
The border is used as a metaphor for the mother and daughter's relationship. The physical distance between the two countries is used to represent the emotional distance between the mother and daughter.
Tone
The tone of the poem is one of regret and sadness. The mother speaks with a sense of longing, expressing her desire to go back in time and fix things.
Symbolism
The border is also used as a symbol in the poem. It represents the boundaries that exist between people, both physically and emotionally.
Interpretation of The Borders
The Borders is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship. The poem uses vivid imagery and a beautiful narrative to convey its message.
The border is used as a metaphor for the mother and daughter's relationship, demonstrating the distance that exists between them. The poem highlights the conflict and tension that can exist in this relationship, but also the love and closeness that can be shared.
The theme of regret and nostalgia is also explored in the poem. The mother remembers the time when she and her daughter were close and wishes she could go back in time and fix things. This creates a sense of sadness and longing in the poem.
The Borders also explores the theme of national identity, using the differences between America and Canada to create a sense of physical and emotional distance between the mother and daughter.
Overall, The Borders is a beautiful and powerful poem that explores the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship. It is a poignant and emotional work that will resonate with anyone who has experienced the joys and challenges of this relationship.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Borders: A Poem of Love and Loss
Sharon Olds’ poem, The Borders, is a powerful and emotional exploration of the complexities of love and loss. Written in free verse, the poem is a deeply personal reflection on the speaker’s relationship with her father, and the ways in which his death has affected her. Through vivid imagery and raw emotion, Olds captures the pain and confusion of grief, while also celebrating the enduring power of love.
The poem begins with a description of the speaker’s father, who is lying in a hospital bed, “his body / like a map of the world / at the end of his life.” This image is both poignant and unsettling, as it suggests that the father’s body has become a kind of landscape, marked by the ravages of time and illness. The use of the word “map” also suggests that the father’s life has been a journey, with its own twists and turns, highs and lows.
As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on her relationship with her father, and the ways in which it has been shaped by his illness. She describes how she has “watched him / as a lover watches his sleeping / bride,” suggesting that her love for her father is deep and intense, but also tinged with sadness and loss. The use of the word “bride” is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the father is about to embark on a new journey, one that the speaker cannot follow.
Throughout the poem, Olds uses vivid and evocative imagery to convey the speaker’s emotions. For example, she describes how the father’s “breath is like a bird / trapped in a room,” suggesting both the fragility of life and the sense of confinement that comes with illness. Similarly, she describes how the father’s “skin is like a map / of the wars he has fought,” suggesting that his life has been marked by struggle and conflict.
As the poem reaches its climax, the speaker reflects on the moment of her father’s death, and the ways in which it has affected her. She describes how she has “become a border / between the living and the dead,” suggesting that her father’s death has left her in a kind of limbo, caught between two worlds. The use of the word “border” is particularly significant, as it suggests that the speaker is both connected to and separated from her father, and that their relationship has been transformed by his death.
Despite the pain and sadness of the poem, there is also a sense of hope and resilience. The speaker describes how she has “learned to love / the borders between things,” suggesting that she has come to accept the impermanence of life, and to appreciate the beauty of the moment. She also describes how she has “learned to love / the way the dead / are always with us,” suggesting that her father’s memory will continue to live on, even after his death.
Overall, The Borders is a powerful and moving poem that explores the complexities of love and loss. Through vivid imagery and raw emotion, Sharon Olds captures the pain and confusion of grief, while also celebrating the enduring power of love. Whether you have experienced the loss of a loved one or not, this poem is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever grappled with the mysteries of life and death.
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