Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Packing the Heart" by Mary Jo Bang is a powerful exploration of emotional turmoil, conflict, and the struggle for autonomy within the context of a relationship marked by discord and misunderstanding. Through vivid imagery and a keen sense of the emotional landscape, Bang captures the tension between the desire for connection and the need for self-preservation.

The opening line, "The evil of exactitude is that a ledge is so wide and no more," introduces the poem's central theme of limitations—both physical and metaphorical. The "ledge" serves as a symbol for the precarious balance in relationships, where exactitude can lead to rigidity and a lack of flexibility, resulting in conflict ("O rasp and grate").

The phrase "preoccupation-imagine the acid of it!" conveys the corrosive nature of obsession, suggesting that dwelling too deeply on certain thoughts or emotions can lead to a kind of internal destruction. The "Rancid backbite of bicker and rant" further illustrates the damaging effects of constant arguing and the inability to find common ground, leading to an "exhaustion of fault" and a widening divide between individuals.

The imagery of the earth opening "no whistle no bell" evokes a sense of silent catastrophe, a relationship fracturing without warning or the possibility of repair. The "voice ripped invisible, severing / the vein of a lavender surface" metaphorically describes the impact of harsh words and actions, which disrupt the superficial calm and reveal underlying tensions.

Bang's use of "beast tales" contrasts the flexibility and adaptability of stories with the rigid and unyielding nature of the speaker's counterpart, described as "less varmint than vile, less hound than harangue." The references to a "Red dwarf" and "Unpredictable flare" liken the other's temper and behavior to a volatile star, capable of sudden and intense outbursts.

The conclusion, "You confirmed your own surmise: you are / pure; I am dead," reveals the speaker's realization that the other's insistence on their own innocence or superiority has effectively killed the relationship. The speaker's declaration, "I cannot allow myself to be so used," signifies a moment of self-assertion and the setting of boundaries—a refusal to be diminished or consumed by the relationship any longer.

"Packing the Heart" is a poignant reflection on the complexities of human relationships, the pain of unresolved conflict, and the courage required to assert one's worth and step away from destructive patterns. Mary Jo Bang masterfully conveys the depth of emotion and the intricate dance of connection and disconnection, leaving readers to contemplate the delicate balance between love, self-respect, and the difficult decisions that sometimes must be made in the pursuit of emotional health and autonomy.