Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Heart's Needle" is a confessional poem by William DeWitt Snodgrass, first published in 1959 in his debut collection of the same title. The poem is considered a landmark work in the genre of confessional poetry, which emerged in the 1950s and is characterized by poets who write autobiographically about their personal experiences.

Explanation:

The poem is a reflection on Snodgrass's experience of separation from his daughter, who he refers to as "a three-year-old girl." The speaker of the poem is torn between his love for his daughter and his frustration at not being able to see her. The poem takes the form of a letter, addressed to his daughter, in which he expresses his longing to see her again.

The poem begins with the speaker reflecting on the idea of "heart's needle," a term used in embroidery to describe the central stitch that holds the fabric together. The speaker uses this metaphor to describe the pain he feels at being separated from his daughter. He describes the needle as "a small / blade, the size of a penknife, / sharp as a tick's proboscis," emphasizing the intensity of his emotional pain.

Throughout the poem, the speaker oscillates between expressions of love for his daughter and anger at his ex-wife for keeping them apart. He describes his daughter as "a treasure," and "a joy," but also accuses his ex-wife of being "a Nazi," and of using their daughter as a pawn in their divorce.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem is written in free verse, with irregular line lengths and no consistent rhyme scheme. The use of enjambment creates a flowing rhythm that mirrors the speaker's stream-of-consciousness style of writing.
• Metaphor: The metaphor of "heart's needle" is a central image in the poem, used to describe the emotional pain of separation from the speaker's daughter.
• Tone: The tone of the poem is confessional and emotive, as the speaker expresses his raw emotions about the separation from his daughter.

Conclusion:

"Heart's Needle" is a powerful and deeply personal poem that captures the intense emotional pain of separation from a loved one. Snodgrass's use of the metaphor of "heart's needle" to describe this pain is both vivid and memorable, and his confessional style of writing sets the tone for much of the confessional poetry that was to follow.

Poem Snippet:

"So now I sit, with nothing left to hide,

Wearing the word out like a coat, and stride

Out into winter with my broken bride."

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...