Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Flare" by Mary Oliver is a multi-layered poem that meanders through topics as diverse as memory, nature, human relationships, and the role of poetry itself. Oliver serves as a philosopher-poet, contemplating the delicate balance of beauty and transience in human existence. She encapsulates these themes under the umbrella of the poem-defined as a medium for illumination, for "flaring" light upon aspects of life that might otherwise go unnoticed or misunderstood.

The poem opens with a stanza welcoming the reader to "the silly, comforting poem," but it quickly challenges this simple notion. Instead of being mere "silliness," the poem delves into poignant observations about the world-its sunrises, rains, and skies. Oliver deconstructs each of these images, arguing that the poem isn't about these things, even as it talks about them. Her suggestion is that poetry transcends what it describes; it captures not just physical things but also the emotional and intellectual responses to them.

Oliver conjures the memory of her great-grandfather's barn as a stand-in for the lost, perhaps idealized, past. The detailed imagery-the smell of milk, the hay on the floor-creates a vivid, almost tactile atmosphere. The barn becomes a metaphor for a mental or spiritual space where one might escape, yet Oliver acknowledges that even such sanctuaries are fleeting. This notion is intensified when she states, "Nothing lasts," and talks about visiting a graveyard where "everything I am talking about is, now." The graveyard can be seen as a metaphorical space, representing the final resting place of memories, experiences, and entities discussed in the poem.

As the poem progresses, the poet reflects on her parents-her mother burdened by life "heavier than iron" and her father, a "demon of frustrated dreams." She treats them with both understanding and detachment. She buries their sorrows and complexities, refusing to "carry the iron thing they carried." This shows Oliver's commitment to face life with its various shades without inheriting the weights of previous generations.

Mary Oliver also explores the natural world as a source of wisdom, asking the reader, "Did you know that the ant has a tongue/with which to gather in all that it can/of sweetness?" Here, the ant becomes a symbol for the humble absorber of life's riches, much like the poet or reader should aspire to be. The idea that the poem "wants to flower, like a flower" suggests that poetry aims to unfold its layers gradually, offering multiple ways of seeing and understanding the world.

In the concluding sections, Oliver confronts the complexities of human emotion and motivation, asking what will "engage" us and "open the dark fields of [our] minds." The final lines are a manifesto for living a life richly observant of the world's beauty and complexities. She implores us to live "with the beetle, and the wind," representing a life that's attuned to both the small and vast forces that shape our existence.

"Flare" is not just a poem but a meditation on what it means to be alive, to remember, to feel, and to write poetry. It reminds the reader that each life, like each poem, is an illumination of some sort-a flare that lights up the dark corners of existence, revealing what's easily overlooked. Mary Oliver leaves us pondering on the "dark and nourishing bread of the poem," signifying that even the difficult aspects of life contribute to its richness. The poem serves as an invitation and a guide to living in a world of contrasts, capturing the subtleties and grand themes that define human experience.

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...