Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Breakable Spell" by Jane Hirshfield grapples with the challenge of expression in a world of relentless questions and multifaceted experiences. At the heart of the poem is the idea that language is both an essential tool and a limiting factor in our ability to understand and articulate our relationship with the world. Hirshfield's poem delves deep into themes of communication, the duality of nature, and the indefatigable spirit of human emotion.

The poem begins with the line, "I don't know with what tongue to answer / this world's constant question-" Here, the notion of the world's "constant question" is purposely ambiguous, implying life's unending, multifaceted challenges that require nuanced responses. The speaker is faced with the dilemma of which "tongue" to use-whether "red enamel, or blue," whether that of "flowing water, or ice," and so on. This imagery presents an almost kaleidoscopic array of options, symbolizing the variety of perspectives and languages through which one can engage with the world.

Yet, despite the difficulties of communication and understanding, the poem emphasizes the indomitable spirit of inquiry: "But it keeps asking and so I continue." The speaker is committed to engaging with the world, attempting different "tongues"-"trying cucumber, trying window, trying egret." Here, Hirshfield employs ordinary objects and images, allowing the poem to venture into realms both material and ethereal, visible and invisible.

In the image of the egret, there's an almost mirror-like reflection: "For a moment she stands with her elegant legs / black in the water. / Below her, another looks up." This scene serves as a microcosm of duality-the egret and its reflection, the black and the white, the reality and its mirror image. These contrasting elements bring to mind the limitations and the power of perspectives. But in this moment, "there is no sound between them," which seems to suggest a harmonious understanding that transcends the spoken word.

The poem concludes with the metaphor of "the heart's machinery" starting "up again / hammering and sawing." Here, Hirshfield employs industrial imagery to indicate that the struggle for expression and understanding is ongoing, often laborious, and yet imbued with a kind of relentless vitality. Whether through "apples and subways," "smokestacks," or "blossoming roses," the quest for articulating our engagement with the world is both beautiful and exhausting.

In sum, "Breakable Spell" provides a rich tapestry of themes and images that range from the philosophical to the tactile, encapsulating the complexities of human existence. Through its critical evaluation of language, nature, and emotion, the poem encourages us to continue seeking, questioning, and perhaps most importantly, trying-regardless of the limitations imposed by our breakable, all-too-human tongues.

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