Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "The Patient Lovers," Carolyn Kizer crafts a delicate exploration of love and its nuanced relationship with illness. The poem's intricate structure and lyrical quality lend themselves to a contemplative examination of the physical and emotional states that define the experience of being in love.

The poem begins with an intriguing proposition: "Love is an illness still to be, / Still away, another chill." Here, Kizer sets the stage for a journey through the metaphorical illness of love, suggesting it is both a future condition and a present absence. The idea of love as an illness introduces a sense of vulnerability and inevitability, akin to the anticipation of a coming ailment.

Kizer continues with an imagery-laden depiction of this "illness," using medical terminology to measure the lovers' emotional states: "We shall measure mercury / Of the rising, falling will, / Of the large and resting heart, / Of the body, not quite still." The use of "mercury" evokes the image of a thermometer, traditionally used to measure fever, linking the intensity of love to a physical state of being. The "rising, falling will" and "large and resting heart" further emphasize the fluctuating nature of emotions, oscillating between stillness and agitation.

Despite the implied intensity, there is a notable restraint in the poem. The lovers' physical responses are subdued: "Still enough to keep the chart / From reflecting what we feel: / We shall be well, and well apart." This line suggests a deliberate control over outward expressions, maintaining a semblance of wellness despite the underlying turmoil. The lovers' decision to be "well apart" indicates a mutual understanding to distance themselves from the potential chaos of their emotions.

As the poem progresses, the physicality of love becomes more palpable: "Though my body still will start / When from my milky side you steal, / And breathing is a casual art." The sudden reaction of the body when the lover departs highlights the deep-seated connection and the involuntary nature of physical responses to emotional stimuli. Breathing as a "casual art" implies an effort to maintain normalcy, to keep the act of living and loving as routine and manageable.

Kizer delves deeper into the dichotomy of playing the roles of both patient and healer: "And illness we no longer play / Unless we fill the healer's part." This duality underscores the complexity of love, where the lovers are both afflicted and curative. The metaphor extends to the idea that love requires an element of healing, a mutual care that transcends mere affection.

The poem culminates in a poignant reflection on the nature of wellness and its relation to love: "We will be well, and well away / Until our pulse and pallor tell / That we are ill, of being well." Here, Kizer encapsulates the paradox of love as both a source of wellness and illness. The repetition of "well" underscores the effort to maintain health and distance, yet the concluding lines reveal the inevitability of their emotional condition. The "pulse and pallor" serve as physical indicators of their underlying state, suggesting that even in the pursuit of wellness, the lovers are ultimately afflicted by the very act of being well, by the strain of maintaining composure and distance.

"The Patient Lovers" is a finely wrought meditation on love's dual nature as both ailment and cure. Through careful imagery and measured language, Kizer captures the delicate balance of intimacy and separation, vulnerability and strength. The poem's nuanced portrayal of the lovers' experience invites readers to reflect on the intricate dance of emotions that define human connections, revealing the profound complexities inherent in the pursuit of love.

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