Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Carolyn Kizer’s poem "Not Writing Poems About Children" is a deeply reflective and poignant meditation on the tension between the roles of poet and parent, and the profound impact that children have on the creative process. Through a dialogue with the spirit of Ben Jonson, a reference to the 17th-century poet who wrote about the death of his own son, Kizer explores themes of loss, creation, and the limitations of art in capturing the essence of life.

The poem opens with a powerful assertion: "Once I gave birth to living metaphors. / Not poems now, Ben Jonson, they became themselves." This line establishes the central metaphor of the poem, where children are compared to living metaphors that transcend the boundaries of poetic expression. The speaker acknowledges that these "living metaphors" have grown beyond the confines of poetry, asserting their own identities and impulses: "They fulfill their impulses, not mine. / They invent their own categories, / Clear and arbitrary."

Kizer contrasts the autonomous lives of children with the demands of poetry: "No poem needs them. They need only what they say: / 'When I grow up I'm going to marry a tree.'" This whimsical declaration by a child highlights the pure and unfiltered nature of children's imaginations, which operate independently of the structured demands of poetry. The speaker recognizes that children cannot be substituted for missed opportunities or lost moments: "Children do not make up for lost occasions."

The poem delves into the emotional complexities of parenting and the sacrifices it entails: "Creation halts, for denials and embraces, / Assurances that no poem replaces them." The speaker grapples with the limitations of poetry to fully capture or console the experience of parenthood, especially when faced with the departure of children: "Nor, as you knew, Ben, holds the mirror to them, / Nor consoles the parent-artist when they go."

Kizer addresses Ben Jonson directly, contemplating his grief over the loss of his son: "Ben, I hope you wrote about your dead son / While you were tranced with pain." She speculates on whether Jonson found solace in writing or if, at such an extremity, "Talent irrelevant," poetry became meaningless in the face of such profound loss. This acknowledgment of the inadequacy of art to fully encompass personal tragedy underscores the poem's central tension between creation and reality.

The poem transitions to a reflection on the inherent separateness of art and life: "Finally, we are left alone with poems, / Children that we cling to, or relinquish / For their own sakes." The speaker recognizes that poems, like children, must eventually be let go, and that they exist independently of the poet's intentions. The final lines encapsulate the essence of the poem's message: "The metaphor, like love, / Springs from the very separateness of things." Here, Kizer suggests that the beauty and power of both poetry and love arise from their distinct and individual nature, which resists being fully encapsulated or controlled.

"Not Writing Poems About Children" is a beautifully introspective poem that grapples with the dualities of creation and parenthood, art and life. Carolyn Kizer’s use of rich imagery and thoughtful reflection creates a nuanced exploration of the ways in which children, as living metaphors, defy and surpass poetic expression. Through her dialogue with Ben Jonson, Kizer underscores the profound and often painful separateness that defines both art and love, inviting readers to reflect on the intricate balance between holding on and letting go.

Copyright (c) 2024 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...