Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alicia Suskin Ostriker's poem "Everywoman Her Own Theology" is a bold, irreverent, and deeply reflective exploration of personal spirituality, reimagining religious iconography and doctrine in a way that empowers the individual, particularly women, to construct their own belief systems. The poem draws inspiration from the historical act of Martin Luther nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, a defining moment in the Protestant Reformation. However, Ostriker distances herself from Luther’s legacy, using the act as a metaphor for personal and spiritual rebellion rather than institutional reform.

The poem opens with the speaker announcing her intention to "nail them up to the cathedral door / Like Martin Luther." This invocation of Luther immediately establishes a tone of defiance and reform, but the speaker quickly subverts this comparison by rejecting any resemblance to Luther, whom she refers to disparagingly as "Schmutzkopf" (a Yiddish term meaning "dirty head" or "fool"). The speaker critiques Luther’s "anal aberrations" and "hatred of Jews and peasants," grounding her rejection in both psychological and moral objections, and instead, humorously opts to thumbtack her own "theses" to the bulletin board in her kitchen—a domestic, everyday space, contrasting sharply with the grandeur of a cathedral.

By relocating the act of posting theological assertions to the kitchen, the poem emphasizes the personal and the mundane as legitimate sites of spiritual inquiry and expression. The kitchen bulletin board, a place where notes, reminders, and recipes might typically be displayed, becomes a sacred space for the speaker's declarations, reflecting Ostriker's theme that theology can and should be accessible, personal, and grounded in daily life.

The "theses" the speaker proposes are whimsical yet profound, calling for a theology that includes a variety of divine images: "at least one image of a god, / Virile, beard optional, one of a goddess, / Nubile, breast size approximating mine." This request for diversity in divine representation critiques the traditional, often patriarchal imagery of God, while also playfully suggesting that the divine should be relatable and reflect the individual believer's identity. The inclusion of "one divine baby, one lion, one lamb, / All nude as figs, all dancing wildly, / All shining" conjures a joyful, liberated vision of the divine, free from the constraints of conventional religious dogma.

The speaker’s ethical demands are equally subversive and idealistic: she seeks "an absolute endorsement of loving-kindness" with "no loopholes except maybe mosquitoes." This humorous exception underscores the speaker’s desire for a world where kindness is paramount, and the only justifiable harm is toward universally disliked nuisances. The rejection of "Virtue and sin" as well as "suffering and martyrdom" further challenges traditional religious teachings that often glorify sacrifice and moral absolutism. By eliminating these concepts, the speaker envisions a theology that is inclusive, compassionate, and free from the divisive notions of sin and infidelity.

The poem acknowledges the impermanence of such declarations by noting that the paper will likely be "Spattered with wine one night at a party / And covered over with newer pieces of paper." This recognition of the ephemeral nature of her "theses" suggests an understanding of the transient and evolving nature of belief systems. Yet, despite this, the speaker asserts that her proposals will persist, "emanate certain occult vibrations," serving as an invitation for something sacred to materialize in her everyday life.

The final stanza imagines a mystical encounter, where "something sacred" might "swoop from the universe" and "materialize" in her kitchen, "bump its chest against mine." This imagery merges the divine with the intimate, the extraordinary with the ordinary, suggesting that spiritual experiences are not confined to religious spaces but can occur in the most personal and familiar settings. The poem concludes with the notion that the speaker’s "paper" will guide this sacred being to her, emphasizing the power of personal belief to attract and manifest the divine.

"Everywoman Her Own Theology" is a celebration of individual spirituality, feminist reimagining, and the transformative power of personal belief. Ostriker’s poem challenges the reader to consider their own relationship with the divine, encouraging a theology that is inclusive, joyful, and deeply personal, grounded in the realities of everyday life rather than the rigid structures of traditional religion.

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