Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alicia Suskin Ostriker's poem "A Glass Pane Toward the Spectral, Mysterious Garden" is a richly evocative exploration of motherhood, perception, and the profound, almost mystical connection between a mother and her child. The poem weaves together vivid sensory details, moments of tender intimacy, and startling, transcendent imagery to convey the intense, almost overwhelming power of maternal love and the sense of awe it inspires.

The poem begins with a description of the setting: "A glass pane toward the spectral, mysterious garden, / a Santa Ana wind through the live-oaks, / ammonia pungent in the nostrils, / no sunrise yet." This opening situates the reader in a liminal space, one that is both familiar and eerie. The "spectral, mysterious garden" suggests a place that is both real and otherworldly, while the Santa Ana wind, often associated with dryness and fire, introduces a sense of tension and anticipation. The pungent smell of ammonia brings a sharp, almost jarring sensory detail into the scene, grounding the ethereal with the concrete. The absence of sunrise hints at the pre-dawn hour, a time traditionally associated with new beginnings, yet also with uncertainty and the unknown.

The focus then shifts to the intimate act of caring for a child: "You lay on the changing table, / meowing, wet. I made you naked, laying / nightgown fabric aside, kissing your neck, / your feet, your ribs, the powdery skin-creases." The tender description of the child's body and the mother's loving actions create a sense of deep connection and vulnerability. The child’s "meowing" adds a touch of innocence and fragility, emphasizing the dependent nature of the infant. The mother's actions—removing the nightgown, kissing the child’s skin—are depicted with a softness and reverence that highlight the sacredness of this moment.

As the mother engages with the child, an extraordinary moment occurs: "I whispered and blew into your stomach, to tickle. / My face being down, then, while I was blind, / somebody’s hand quietly grasped my hand." The physical act of play, blowing to tickle the child's stomach, is suddenly interrupted by a mysterious, almost supernatural moment when the mother's hand is grasped by another hand. This moment is both startling and intimate, drawing the reader into a shared experience of surprise and wonder.

The poem reaches a climax as the mother looks up to see the child laughing: "When I looked up / it was you, laughing / laughing! / a power / such as flew out / and nearly knocked me over / through your staring eyes / intense, impersonal, like icy dawn." The child’s laughter, described as a "power" that nearly overwhelms the mother, reveals the intensity and purity of the child's emotions. The comparison of the child's eyes to "icy dawn" introduces a chilling, impersonal aspect to this otherwise tender moment, suggesting that the child's gaze carries a force beyond human understanding—a raw, elemental energy.

This energy is further likened to natural phenomena: "like the son of beauty, the bow bent, and the arrows drawn — / as once in midday three white clouds raced / right across the zenith of the bright blue sky / a wild west wind / ripped at their edges like cotton, and they flew." The imagery of the "son of beauty" with a bow and arrows evokes classical mythology, perhaps referencing Cupid or another god-like figure, adding a sense of mythic power to the child's presence. The racing clouds and the wild wind tearing at them introduce a sense of dynamic motion and impermanence, reinforcing the idea that this moment is both fleeting and monumental.

The poem then returns to the present with the image of a "white cat [that] jumps / from a garden fence, glides / through the yellow grass." This image, while grounded in the everyday, carries with it the same sense of grace and quiet power that permeates the poem. The cat’s movement is fluid and effortless, mirroring the child’s earlier movements and the overall fluidity of the experience.

The poem concludes with a powerful reflection: "yet but a naked, helpless kicking one— / you were those things / I saw! and I have seen. / I shall be singing this / when all the forests you have burned are green." The juxtaposition of the child’s helplessness with the immense power and beauty observed in nature underscores the duality of the child’s existence—both fragile and awe-inspiring. The final lines suggest a sense of enduring memory and the passage of time, with the speaker vowing to "be singing this" even when the child has grown and potentially caused harm ("all the forests you have burned"). The phrase "when all the forests you have burned are green" suggests renewal and forgiveness, implying that despite any future transgressions, the memory of this pure, powerful moment will remain and offer solace.

"A Glass Pane Toward the Spectral, Mysterious Garden" is a deeply emotional and visually striking poem that captures the complexity of a mother's love and the awe-inspiring experience of witnessing the intense, raw life force within her child. Through its vivid imagery and unexpected shifts in tone, the poem explores themes of connection, vulnerability, and the enduring power of love.

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