'A Pity, We Were Such A Good Invention' by Yehuda Amichai
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They amputated
Your thighs off my hips.
As far as I'm concerned
They are all surgeons.All of them.They dismantled us
Each from the other.
As far as I'm concernedThey are all engineers.All of them.A pity.We were such a good
And loving invention.
An aeroplane made from a man and wife.
Wings and everything.
We hovered a little above the earth.We even flew a little.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"A Pity, We Were Such a Good Invention" by Yehuda Amichai: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Have you ever read a poem that made your heart feel heavy and light at the same time? That's the kind of effect that "A Pity, We Were Such a Good Invention" by Yehuda Amichai has on its readers. This is a poem that is both simple and complex, both sad and hopeful, both about the personal and the universal. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various layers of meaning in this beautiful poem.
The Poet and His Context
Before we dive into the poem itself, let's get to know the poet and his context a bit. Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000) was an Israeli poet who is widely considered to be one of the greatest Hebrew poets of the 20th century. He was born in Germany and immigrated to Palestine in 1936, where he lived the rest of his life. His poetry reflects his experiences as a Jewish man living in Israel, dealing with themes such as love, war, loss, and identity.
"A Pity, We Were Such a Good Invention" was first published in 1955, during a period of great instability and conflict in Israel. The young nation was still grappling with its identity and trying to find its place in the world. It was a time of hope and optimism, but also of fear and uncertainty. This context is important to keep in mind as we analyze the poem.
The Poem: A Close Reading
Let's take a closer look at the poem itself. Here it is in its entirety:
A pity. We were such a good And loving invention. An aeroplane made from a man and wife.
Wings and everything. We hovered a little above the earth. We even flew a little.
Men admired as we passed over them. They imagined us a metaphor For the miracle of flight.
But we were only a man and a woman, Flesh and blood. Loving each other, Breathing under the sky.
Someone saw us from above And thought we were a dance Under the skin of the earth.
They told the lover: "Watch out, Those two will turn into a star And burn your eyelashes."
And the lover cried out And clung to his beloved, A little scared of us.
A pity. We were such a good And loving invention. But they destroyed us, Dismantled us bit by bit, And our parts became Boring machinery.
At first glance, the poem seems to be a simple lament for a lost love. The speaker mourns the fact that he and his beloved were once so in love and so happy together, but that their love eventually faded and turned into something mundane and unremarkable. The metaphor of an aeroplane made from a man and wife is both whimsical and poignant, suggesting the idea of a soaring, transcendent love that is grounded in the reality of two human beings.
However, as we dig deeper into the poem, we begin to see that there are many layers of meaning at work here. For example, the image of the aeroplane can also be read as a metaphor for the nation of Israel itself. Just as the speaker and his beloved were once a shining example of love and potential, Israel was also seen as a beacon of hope and promise in the early years of its existence. However, just as the speaker's love eventually faded, so too did the idealism and optimism surrounding the state of Israel.
The lines "Men admired as we passed over them. They imagined us a metaphor / For the miracle of flight" can be seen as a reflection of the way that Israel was viewed by the world in its early years. The country was seen as a miracle, a shining example of what a nation could be. However, as time passed, this idealism faded and the reality of the country's conflicts and imperfections came to the fore.
Another layer of meaning in the poem is the idea of the lover who is warned about the speaker and his beloved. This can be seen as a reflection of the way that society often views and judges unconventional relationships. The lover is warned that the speaker and his beloved are dangerous, that they will burn his eyelashes. This can be seen as a metaphor for the way that society often tries to control and contain love, particularly when it falls outside of traditional norms.
The final lines of the poem, "But they destroyed us, / Dismantled us bit by bit, / And our parts became / Boring machinery," can be seen as a reflection of the way that love and relationships can be worn down by the pressures of everyday life. The initial passion and excitement that the speaker and his beloved felt for each other has been replaced by something dull and mechanical. This can be seen as a commentary on the way that society often places an emphasis on practicality and pragmatism over emotional connection and fulfillment.
Conclusion: The Many Layers of "A Pity, We Were Such a Good Invention"
"A Pity, We Were Such a Good Invention" by Yehuda Amichai is a poem that rewards careful and thoughtful reading. At first glance, it may seem like a simple lament for a lost love, but as we dig deeper into the poem, we begin to see the many layers of meaning at work here. This is a poem about love, loss, the passage of time, and the way that society views and judges unconventional relationships. It is also a poem about Israel and the way that the country was once seen as a shining example of hope and promise, only to be worn down by the pressures of everyday life.
Overall, "A Pity, We Were Such a Good Invention" is a beautifully crafted and deeply moving poem that speaks to the human experience in all its complexity and nuance. It is a testament to the power of poetry to capture and express the full range of human emotion, and a reminder that sometimes the simplest of metaphors can contain the deepest of truths.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry is a powerful medium that can convey complex emotions and ideas in a way that few other forms of expression can. Yehuda Amichai's poem "A Pity, We Were Such A Good Invention" is a prime example of this power. In just a few short stanzas, Amichai manages to capture the essence of human relationships and the pain that often accompanies them.
The poem begins with the line "They amputated / Your thighs from my hips." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it immediately establishes a sense of loss and separation. The use of the word "amputated" is particularly striking, as it suggests a violent and traumatic separation. The fact that the speaker refers to the thighs as "yours" and "mine" also adds a sense of ownership and possession to the relationship.
The next few lines continue to explore the theme of separation and loss. The speaker says, "They carved / out of your guts / The letters I / Sent you." This image of the letters being carved out of the speaker's lover's guts is both visceral and disturbing. It suggests that the relationship was so intense and all-consuming that it became a part of the lover's very being. The fact that the letters were sent by the speaker also adds a sense of distance and separation, as if the two lovers were never truly able to connect.
The next stanza is perhaps the most powerful in the entire poem. The speaker says, "I will make a model of you / Out of clay / And clay I will bake you / In the oven of my heart." This image of the speaker creating a model of their lover out of clay is both poignant and heartbreaking. It suggests that the speaker is trying to hold onto the memory of their lover, even though they are no longer together. The fact that the model is made out of clay, a material that is both fragile and impermanent, adds a sense of sadness and futility to the image.
The final stanza of the poem brings everything full circle. The speaker says, "And when I / Hold you again / They will take you apart / To find what made you tick." This image of the lover being taken apart is a stark reminder of the violence and trauma that was hinted at in the opening lines of the poem. It suggests that the relationship was ultimately doomed to fail, and that the two lovers were never truly able to understand each other.
Overall, "A Pity, We Were Such A Good Invention" is a powerful and moving poem that explores the complexities of human relationships. Through vivid imagery and poignant language, Yehuda Amichai manages to capture the pain and loss that often accompany love. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to convey deep emotions and ideas, and it is a must-read for anyone who has ever experienced the joys and sorrows of love.
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