Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Across," Octavio Paz engages in an intricate exploration of intimacy and existentialism, weaving a web of sensual imagery with themes of identity and transformation. The poem begins with the speaker "turning the page of the day," immediately signifying that the poem is not only a snapshot of a moment but also a continuation of an ongoing story. The motion of the loved one's eyelashes becomes a script, implying that the minutest of gestures can guide one's experience or reality.

The act of entering the other person and wanting "proofs of darkness" signifies a desire for complete union-physical, emotional, and even metaphysical. Darkness here serves as a symbol of the unknown, the opaque qualities of life and love that we cannot quantify but seek to experience fully. The phrase "take my eyes and crush them" suggests that the speaker is willing to forego his individual perceptions to truly experience union with the other, even if it means venturing into territories that are both unknown and potentially unsettling.

The lInes"A drop of night / on your breast's tip: / mysteries of the carnation" are particularly compelling, creating an image that is both erotic and transcendental. The "drop of night" embodies both a sensual moment and an abstract concept, exploring the enigma of existence through the physicality of love. It becomes emblematic of the "mysteries of the carnation," a phrase open to various interpretations, from the symbolic representation of love and desire to the intricate mysteries of life itself.

This theme of duality persists in the lInes"Closing my eyes / I open them inside your eyes," which evoke a sense of psychological as well as physical intimacy. This paradoxical visual symbolizes the loss and gain that come with love and intimacy. By closing his eyes to his individual self, the speaker opens them to a shared consciousness and a newly understood reality.

The poem then meanders through more overtly sensual imagery, referring to "fountains in the garden of your veins" and "your wet tongue," before veering into an image of mental transgression: "With a mask of blood / I cross your thoughts blankly: / amnesia guides me / to the other side of life." The mask of blood might symbolize the visceral and vital life force that connects them, but it also serves as a filter that blurs individual identities. "Amnesia" refers not merely to forgetfulness but to a relinquishment of the past, of individual histories and idiosyncrasies, allowing the speaker to traverse to "the other side of life," an uncertain yet tantalizing realm where the barriers of self are broken down.

In "Across," Octavio Paz explores the tension between individuality and shared existence, between the tangible and the intangible. His seamless fusion of erotic and philosophical imagery makes the poem an intricate tapestry of human experience, capturing the complexities and contradictions of love and existence. The poem doesn't just speak of love as an emotional or physical state but elevates it to a transformative force, capable of altering perceptions and realities. Through this transformation, Paz offers a glimpse into the labyrinthine corridors of human intimacy, prompting readers to consider the myriad ways in which love can be both a journey and a destination.

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