Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Signs" by Audre Lorde delves into the intricate experience of motherhood, loss, and the complexities of tradition and change. The poem echoes a deep sense of melancholy, borne not just from solitude but also from an impending sense of separation. It is layered with imagery that evokes both the richness of culture and the insidious ways in which it can both protect and imprison individuals.

The poem starts by describing an empty hearth, with "no one left to eat by my fire." It immediately establishes a sense of isolation for the speaker, intensified by the absence of her children who have gone "to the wood." This departure is framed within a cultural context, indicated by the "market blanket" she wore to announce her coming of age. This market scene is juxtaposed with an invocation of the children's "earth-colored laughter," as if their joy is organically rooted in the world they've departed to explore.

As the poem progresses, the speaker wishes her children a journey "free from ghosts," an allusion to the ancestral spirits who seem to be planning her "downfall." This is where the poem introduces the theme of societal expectations and traditions, symbolized by the river where "old spirits" chatter. The speaker implies that she has lived a fulfilling life ("my yam has always been eaten / with pleasure") and has been productive ("my body has not been unfruitful"). Despite her steadfastness in her ways and success in her role, she still faces the judgments and plans of "old spirits."

One of the most striking features of the poem is its discussion of gender and social roles. The children, presumably sons, will return "men / and silent," draped in "impatience and indigo," which could signify the weight of social expectations on them as they grow older. This "indigo," often used in ritualistic contexts, could symbolize rites of passage, perhaps hinting at their new adult roles that might demand a separation from their mother.

The poem ends on an unsettling note, as the mother goes "to wash herself before sun," the cleansing act an apparent ritual in anticipation of her children's return. But the dread resides in what she might find: "the shattered pot" as "a sign to warn me / they will never return." It's a powerful metaphor for the destruction of hopes, dreams, or relationships. The shattered pot could signify her shattered expectations or perhaps even the breakdown of traditional ways.

"Signs" thus becomes not just an exploration of motherhood and cultural traditions, but also a tale of individual fear and social expectations. It encapsulates the uncertainty that accompanies any rite of passage: a step into the unknown, fraught with the fears of a past that may haunt us and a future that remains unsettlingly unclear. And in capturing these universal fears, the poem itself becomes a kind of sign, alerting us to the intricate complexities of the human experience.

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