Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Naomi Shihab Nye’s "A Valentine for Ernest Mann" is a meditation on poetry’s elusive nature and the necessity of perception and reinvention in both art and life. Written in free verse, the poem’s informal structure mirrors its conversational tone, rejecting traditional poetic constraints in favor of an accessible, almost prose-like rhythm. This relaxed form supports the poem’s central message: poetry is not something to be demanded or acquired like a commodity, but rather something to be discovered in unexpected places.

The opening lines set the tone with an assertion that directly addresses a misguided expectation: "You can’t order a poem like you order a taco." This simile is both humorous and incisive, immediately establishing the poem’s light yet instructive voice. The enjambment that follows ("Walk up to the counter, say, 'I’ll take two' / and expect it to be handed back to you / on a shiny plate.") emphasizes the absurdity of treating poetry as an item of consumption. The comparison suggests that poetry is not something mass-produced or transactional; rather, it is an organic experience that must be approached differently.

The speaker’s tone then shifts to one of appreciation and encouragement: "Still, I like your spirit." The direct address to "Ernest Mann" (who, based on the title, presumably made a request for a poem) personalizes the poem, making it both a response and a lesson. The speaker values the desire for poetry, recognizing it as an invitation to deeper understanding. Instead of providing a poem on demand, the speaker offers a secret: "poems hide." The metaphor of hidden poems—"In the bottoms of our shoes, / they are sleeping."—suggests that poetry is embedded in everyday life, waiting to be noticed rather than crafted by force. The use of sensory imagery ("shadows / drifting across our ceilings the moment / before we wake up") underscores the fleeting, almost subconscious nature of poetic inspiration.

The narrative then shifts to an anecdote about a man who gave his wife "two skunks for a valentine." The absurdity of the gesture and the wife's tearful reaction highlight the contrast between societal norms and individual perception. The man, described as "serious," does not see ugliness in skunks but rather appreciates them for what they are: "I thought they had such beautiful eyes." His perspective challenges conventional aesthetic values, embodying the poem’s message that beauty—and poetry—is found not in what is expected but in what is truly seen. The skunks, long dismissed as repellent creatures, are redefined through his affection, becoming "valentines" and drawing forth "poems that had been hiding / in the eyes of skunks for centuries." The hyperbole of hidden poems waiting for centuries reinforces the idea that poetry is a discovery, often hidden within overlooked or maligned subjects.

The final stanza shifts the lesson outward, urging the reader to adopt this perspective: "Maybe if we re-invent whatever our lives give us / we find poems." Here, "re-invent" is the key verb—suggesting that poetry emerges not from the inherent beauty of things but from how we choose to see them. The list that follows—"Check your garage, the odd sock / in your drawer, the person you almost like, but not quite."—emphasizes the mundane, reinforcing that poetry is not confined to the traditionally poetic but resides in the overlooked, the imperfect, the almost-but-not-quite. The speaker’s invitation—"And let me know."—ends the poem on an open, participatory note, reinforcing poetry as an ongoing dialogue between perception and creation.

Structurally, the poem’s lack of rhyme and stanzaic uniformity enhances its organic, conversational quality. The enjambment allows thoughts to flow naturally, mirroring the way poetry itself emerges from lived experience rather than rigid formulas. The free verse form reflects the poem’s central theme: poetry resists formulaic production and must be found through engagement with the world.

Ultimately, "A Valentine for Ernest Mann" is not just a lesson in poetry but a lesson in perception. Nye advocates for an openness to beauty in unexpected places, suggesting that poetry is not created through intention alone but through a willingness to see the world differently. The poem itself, in rejecting the demand for a neatly packaged poem, exemplifies this philosophy—it is less an answer and more an invitation to find poetry in the everyday.