Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Carolyn Kizer's "Lines to Accompany Flowers for Eve" is a poignant and compassionate reflection on the fragility of life and the search for solace amidst despair. The poem addresses Eve, who has attempted suicide and lies in a New York hospital, through the symbolic gesture of sending flowers. The poem explores themes of resilience, hope, and the tenuous nature of existence.

The poem opens with a description of the flowers chosen for Eve: "The florist was told, cyclamen or azalea; / White in either case, for you are pale / As they are, 'blooming early and profusely.'" The flowers symbolize purity and fragility, mirroring Eve's delicate state. The comparison of Eve to these early-blooming flowers highlights her vulnerability and the premature confrontation with mortality.

Kizer contrasts the two types of flowers: "Though the azalea grows in sandier soil, / Needing less care; while cyclamen’s fleshy tubers / Are adored, yes, rooted out by some." This distinction between the flowers reflects different responses to care and adversity. The azalea, which thrives in harsher conditions, symbolizes resilience, while the cyclamen, which requires more attention, represents the need for love and support.

The poem delves into the harsh reality of Eve's situation: "But what has flung you here for salvaging / From a city’s dereliction, this New York? / A world against whose finger-and-breath-marked windows / These weak flares may be set." New York, depicted as a place of dereliction, serves as a backdrop for Eve's struggle. The "weak flares" of the flowers against the city's grimy windows symbolize the small, fragile gestures of hope in a harsh environment.

Kizer addresses the isolation and vulnerability of urban life: "Our only bulwark is the frailest cover: / Lovers touch from terror of being alone. / The urban surface: tough and granular, / Poor ground for the affections to take root." This imagery underscores the difficulty of nurturing genuine connections and the pervasive sense of loneliness that can lead to despair.

The poem reflects on the ways people cope with their struggles: "Left to our own devices, we devise / Such curious deaths, comas, or mutilations!" Kizer acknowledges the self-destructive paths some take in their search for peace. The line "You may buy peace, white, in sugary tincture, / No way of knowing its strength, or your own," speaks to the uncertainty and risk involved in seeking solace through substances or actions.

In the final stanzas, Kizer emphasizes the importance of hope and expectation: "The thing to cling to is the sense of expectation. / Who knows what may occur in the next breath? / In the pallor of another morning we neither / Anticipated nor wanted!" This sense of anticipation, even in unwanted or unexpected circumstances, offers a glimmer of hope.

The poem closes with a gentle encouragement to Eve: "Eve, waken to flowers / Unforeseen, from someone you don’t even know. / Azalea or cyclamen ... we live in wonder, / Blaze in a cycle of passion and apprehension / Though once we lay and waited for a death." The flowers, symbols of care and attention from a stranger, represent the unexpected kindness and beauty that can emerge even in the darkest times. The cycle of passion and apprehension mirrors the cyclical nature of life and the constant interplay between despair and hope.

"Lines to Accompany Flowers for Eve" is a moving meditation on the human condition, capturing the delicate balance between vulnerability and resilience. Carolyn Kizer's use of floral symbolism and vivid imagery creates a rich emotional landscape that invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of suffering and hope. The poem offers a compassionate reminder of the small but significant gestures that can make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling.