Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Take the I Out" by Sharon Olds is a richly metaphorical poem that explores the significance of the self, represented by the pronoun "I," through the lens of family history, industrial imagery, and personal identity. The poem delves into the speaker's deep attachment to the "I," contrasting the personal and individual with the collective and structural, and ultimately celebrating the uniqueness and resilience of the self.

The poem opens with the speaker's declaration of love for the "I," comparing it to a "steel I-beam" that her father sold. This comparison immediately sets up a connection between the self and a strong, supportive structure, suggesting that the "I" serves as a foundational element in one's identity. The imagery of industrial production—"They poured the pig iron / into the mold, and it fed out slowly"—conveys a sense of craftsmanship and transformation, as raw material is shaped into something solid and enduring. The mention of "Bessemer, blister, crucible, alloy" refers to different processes and materials in steel production, emphasizing the complexity and strength of the "I."

The poem then shifts to a more personal narrative, linking the industrial imagery to the speaker's father, who "marketed it, and bought bourbon, and Cream / of Wheat." This connection highlights how the father's labor and the fruits of his work provided for the family, tying the physical labor of steel production to the sustenance and care of family life. The "curl of butter right / in the middle of its forehead" in Cream of Wheat suggests a moment of comfort and nourishment, juxtaposed with the hard labor that made it possible.

The speaker continues to express love for the "I," describing it as "frail between its flitches, its hard ground / and hard sky." This line captures the vulnerability of the self, caught between the pressures and expectations of life, yet still striving and soaring "like the soul that rushes, back and forth, / between the mother and father." The metaphor of the "I" as a strut joining the floor and roof of the truss evokes a sense of connection and support, essential in holding things together.

Reflecting on her own conception, the speaker mentions a moment recorded on her mother's "shirt-cardboard," where the "penciled / slope of her temperature rising" marks the night she was conceived. The Roman numeral "I" at the peak symbolizes the inception of her identity, the beginning of her existence. The repetition of "I, I, I, I," emphasizes the centrality of the self in shaping one's experience and narrative.

The poem culminates in a celebration of the "I" as "girders of identity, head on, / embedded in the poem." This metaphor underscores the integral role of the self in both life and art, as a fundamental structure that supports and defines existence. The speaker's love for the "I" is not just for its strength but also for its vulnerability and potential. The "I" is likened to a pine tree, "resinous, flammable root to crown," that throws its cones "as far as it can in a fire." This imagery suggests resilience and the drive to propagate, to survive and continue despite adversity.

"Take the I Out" is a powerful meditation on identity, the complexity of the self, and the interplay between personal history and broader societal structures. Sharon Olds masterfully weaves industrial and natural imagery to explore the formation and significance of the "I," highlighting its essential role in grounding and expressing human experience. The poem celebrates the resilience and persistence of the self, acknowledging both its strengths and vulnerabilities, and affirms the necessity of the "I" in the fabric of life.

Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...