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THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, by         Recitation by Author     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

"The Resurrection of the Body" by Linda Gregerson is a poignant exploration of love, care, and the heartbreaking realities faced by parents of children with severe disabilities. Through vivid and compassionate imagery, the poem reflects on the daily struggles and deep emotional bonds between a mother and her daughter, as well as a boy who requires constant protection.

The poem begins with the delicate description of a young girl, around thirteen years old, who is secured in her chair by a Velcro strap: "She must have been thirteen or so, her nascent / breasts / just showing above the velcro strap that held her in her chair." This image sets the scene for the tender yet painful caregiving dynamic that follows. The girl's face is described as "translucent, beautiful," with a stark contrast between her serene appearance and the "dis-quietude" in her eyes, suggesting an inner turmoil or awareness of her condition.

The mother is portrayed with a "miraculous / smile," a symbol of enduring love and resilience. Her actions, such as lifting the handkerchief with dexterity to wipe her daughter's spittle, are imbued with tenderness and a deep, sorrowful love: "frequent, durable, lifted the handkerchief- / you know the way a woman / will? - her index finger guiding a corner, the body of it gathered in her dextrous palm —and with / such tenderness wiped the spittle / pooling / at her daughter's mouth." The mother's care is not just a routine task but an act filled with emotional weight, reflecting the love and fear that come with caring for a child with severe disabilities.

The poem then shifts to the boy in orthotics, whose need for a helmet initially confuses the speaker: "I couldn't for the longest time understand / why the boy / required a helmet so complexly fitted and strong." The realization of the boy's rhythmic rocking and the purpose of the helmet comes later, highlighting the speaker's gradual understanding of the depth of the children's conditions: "It wasn't for nothing / that I was / so slow. Who cannot read these waiting rooms / has so far-exactly so far-been spared."

The climax of the poem occurs when the speaker, driving home with her own daughter, has an epiphany about the boy's helmet: "It was only / while I was driving home, / my daughter in her car seat with her brand / new brace, / that I thought of the boy's rhythmic rocking and knew." This moment of understanding brings a wave of empathy and sorrow, as the speaker recognizes the boy's repetitive head-banging as a desperate, futile attempt to communicate or find relief: "and what / does God in his heaven do then?— the boy's poor head in its bright red helmet knocking - / listen - / to be let in."

Gregerson's poem is a meditation on the profound challenges and emotional toll of caregiving, as well as the moments of grace and love that persist despite overwhelming hardship. The detailed, compassionate depiction of the mother and her daughter, and the speaker's gradual realization about the boy's condition, create a powerful narrative that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Through "The Resurrection of the Body," Gregerson invites readers to witness and reflect on the profound, often unseen, struggles of families caring for children with severe disabilities.


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