Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Variation on the Word Sleep" is a poem by Canadian poet Margaret Atwood, first published in 1971 in her collection "Power Politics." The poem is known for its exploration of the theme of love and the complexities of intimacy.

Explanation:

The poem is written from the first person point of view and is addressed to a lover. Atwood uses the metaphor of sleep to describe the different stages of intimacy in a relationship. In the first stanza, she compares the early stages of love to "the soft embassy / of body to body," where the lovers are "like changing trees."

As the poem progresses, Atwood's description of sleep becomes darker and more troubled. She describes a sense of isolation and separation, as she feels "the bed caves in like a stage / beneath some curtain." In the final stanza, Atwood suggests that love is ultimately a form of surrender, as she dreams of "laying our heads together / and lying still, those are the only / safe harbors."

Poetic Elements:

• Metaphor: Atwood uses the metaphor of sleep to explore the different stages of intimacy in a relationship.
• Imagery: The poem is rich in imagery, particularly in its descriptions of the physical sensations of love and the sense of isolation and separation in the later stages of a relationship.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is melancholic and contemplative, reflecting the complex emotions that Atwood is exploring.
• Structure: The poem consists of four stanzas, each with varying numbers of lines. The poem has a consistent rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD. The first three stanzas follow a consistent rhyme scheme, while the final stanza does not.

Conclusion:

"Variation on the Word Sleep" is a poignant and insightful exploration of the complexities of intimacy and love. Atwood's use of the metaphor of sleep and her rich imagery create a vivid and haunting portrait of the different stages of a relationship.

Rhyme Scheme: The poem has a consistent rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD.

Poem Snippet:

I would like to be the air

that inhabits you for a moment

only. I would like to be that unnoticed

and that necessary.

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