Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Columns and Caryatids: 3. The Lover" by Carolyn Kizer is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of the enduring legacy of love and its transformation through time and human hands. Through the extended metaphor of a fallen caryatid, Kizer delves into themes of loss, endurance, and the perpetual human quest for connection and meaning.

The poem opens with a powerful declaration from the Lover: "I am your pillar that has fallen. / And now, for centuries of rest / I will regard my breast, my calm hills, / My valley for the stars to travel." This introduction sets the tone of resignation and acceptance. The Lover, once a supporting pillar, has succumbed to the forces that toppled her. In her fallen state, she finds a different kind of existence—one of contemplation and stillness, where her body becomes a landscape for the cosmos. The imagery of "calm hills" and a "valley for the stars" suggests a serene beauty and a connection to the eternal.

Kizer's depiction of the Lover "stripped of all ornament" and "looted alike by conquerors and technicians" evokes a sense of vulnerability and exploitation. Her body, once adorned and revered, has been desecrated and objectified. The "curling fingers for an emperor's flower" and "trinkets in barbarians' museums" symbolize how her beauty and essence have been fragmented and dispersed, valued only as trophies or curiosities by those who conquered her.

Despite this degradation, the Lover endures and smiles, embodying a resilience that transcends her physical desecration. "Accepting ravage as the only tribute / That men can pay to gods" suggests a profound understanding of human nature and the ways in which people attempt to capture and possess the divine. The Lover's endurance becomes a testament to the timelessness of love and beauty, even in the face of destruction and appropriation.

Kizer delves deeper into the cyclical nature of human desire and memory with the lines, "So boys will turn from sleep and search the darkness, / Seeking the love their fathers have forgotten." This poignant observation highlights the perpetual quest for a love that seems elusive and unattainable, a yearning that is passed down through generations. The Lover's fallen state becomes a symbol of this eternal search, a lost ideal that continues to inspire and haunt those who come after.

The poem concludes with a powerful evocation of longing and loss: "And they will dream of her who have not known her, / And ache, and ache for that lost limb forever." The Lover, though forgotten by those who once possessed her, remains an indelible part of the human psyche. The "lost limb" metaphor conveys a deep sense of incompleteness and yearning that defines the human experience. This ache for the unattainable, for a connection that transcends time and memory, underscores the enduring power of love and beauty.

"Columns and Caryatids: 3. The Lover" by Carolyn Kizer is a poignant meditation on the themes of loss, resilience, and the eternal quest for connection. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Kizer captures the complex interplay between human desire and the inexorable passage of time. The poem's exploration of the Lover as a fallen pillar, both desecrated and enduring, serves as a powerful allegory for the timeless nature of love and the enduring human spirit.