Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Natasha Trethewey's poem "Secular," the ordinary world transforms into a space of spiritual significance, where the mundane rhythms of life take on an ethereal quality. The poem explores the essence of lived experiences at the end of a workweek in a community setting, capturing a unique intersection of the sacred and the profane, of religious observance and earthly pleasures.

As the poem begins, we are presented with the setting of a community transitioning from the workweek to a time of rest and celebration. The "block-ice in the box" and the "wash tub of colas" act as temporal markers, reflecting the communal rituals of enjoyment and refreshment. These images counterbalance the mention of "service," subtly implying that the secular rituals of this community hold as much importance as the religious ones. This idea is further emphasized by the open doors that provide a "clear shot from front to back," hinting at a sense of communal openness and inviting the outside world to come in-be it a "bullet, breeze, or holler."

This sense of community extends to the poem's portrayal of an individual, presumably a woman, who is reached by a neighbor's "Yoo hoo" as she goes about her chores. This singular moment underscores the interconnectedness of these lives-each one wrapped up in its own set of rituals but still aware of, and available to, one another. It's a beautiful snapshot: a woman "lolling, pulling in wash," her "head in the clouds." The woman's mundane task takes on a dreamlike aspect, her attention lifted towards a realm that seems to blend both earthly and heavenly matters.

A shift occurs when we move "up the block" to where the woman gets ready to go out. Her transformation is evoked through the vivid images of "lipstick, nylons," and "Dixie Peach in her hair," the last of which conjures a visual of lustrous beauty. She steps out, "greased forehead shining like gospel, like gold," amalgamating the holy and the worldly in her very appearance. Here, the secular is as radiant as the sacred, highlighting a coexistence that adds richness to the woman's identity and by extension, to the communal life around her.

The references to blues music-"Big Mama, Ma Rainey, Bessie"-further layer the sense of community and shared cultural heritage. These women of the blues capture the complexities of life, embodying the very mixture of the spiritual and the secular that the poem celebrates.

Overall, "Secular" paints an evocative tableau of a community caught between the realms of the sacred and the secular. It does not prioritize one over the other but suggests that both are essential parts of human existence. In capturing this duality, Trethewey gives us a nuanced insight into a community's life, elevating the everyday into a space of rich spiritual and cultural significance.

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