Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Adamantine Perfection of Desire" by Jane Hirshfield delves into the complexities of desire, focusing on its undeniable power and exploring the intense pull it has over human behavior and emotions. Hirshfield's poem is a study of the surrender that often accompanies desire, presenting it as an overpowering force that dispenses with reason and negates choice.

The opening lines, "Nothing more strong / than to be helpless before desire," immediately establish the crux of the poem. Here, desire is not merely an emotion or impulse; it's a formidable force that renders human agency "helpless." This is a paradoxical strength, a strength in yielding, which Hirshfield captures with acute poignancy.

"No reason, / the simplified heart whispers, the argument over, only This." These lines signify the cessation of internal debates or moral quandaries. Desire simplifies the complex chambers of the heart into a singular, focused state of being - a whisper that drowns out all other voices. The heart no longer argues but quietly asserts, emphasizing the 'This' as the focal point of its yearning.

The poem then moves to illustrate the result of succumbing to desire: "No longer choosing anything but assent." Desire becomes an ultimatum to the self, where resistance crumbles into 'assent.' The heart has settled its internal debate, and what's left is the acceptance of its domineering pull.

The line "Its bowl scraped clean to the bottom, the skull-bone cup no longer horrifies, but, rimmed in silver, shines," carries visceral imagery. What once could have been a horrifying symbol of mortality is now seen as beautiful, "rimmed in silver," when looked through the lens of desire. The cup's emptiness serves as a metaphor for the ego's surrender, scraped clean of its usual objections and doubts.

The examples that follow-a dog following a bitch in heat, and gray geese flying past and crying-add a layer of naturalistic imagery to the discourse. These are creatures of instinct, governed by their innate desires. Their actions are not up for debate; they just are, underscoring the idea that desire is an elemental part of life.

The concluding line, "The living cannot help but love the world," captures the essence of the poem. Desire, at its core, is a form of love-an intense, sometimes irrational love for something or someone. In this line, Hirshfield suggests that this form of love, this overwhelming desire, is not just a human characteristic but a vital trait of all living beings.

"Adamantine Perfection of Desire" is both an ode to the consuming nature of desire and an acceptance of its intrinsic role in the living world. Through her poetic prowess, Hirshfield crafts a multi-layered narrative that speaks to the very core of human experience, capturing the contradictions and paradoxes that make desire such a compelling subject. The poem serves as a reflective mirror, asking the reader to confront their own complexities of desire, love, and the choices-or lack thereof-that they entail.

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