Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "The Smiling Mouth," Charles D'Orléans contemplates the physical beauty of his beloved as a means of "stinting" or lessening his emotional pain. Yet, beneath the surface of this seemingly simple ode to a loved one, deeper layers of human yearning, temporal angst, and the power of memory are woven into the fabric of the text.

D'Orléans opens the poem by detailing specific physical attributes of his beloved-the "smiling mouth," "laughing eyen gray," "breastes round," "long small armes twain," and so forth. His enumeration serves not only as a declaration of love but also as a mental portrait, a way of keeping his beloved close in absence. The list-like quality of these lines emphasizes the almost ritualistic act of recalling these details, suggesting that it is the poet's "craft" to remember them. The word "craft" implies a sense of skill and deliberation, elevating what might be a simple act of remembrance to an art form, a coping mechanism for "stinting of my pain."

As the poem unfolds, there's a subtle shift from mere physical attributes to something more poignant. The poet speaks of his "craft," intimating that his remembrances serve not only as a personal consolation but also as an act of poetic creation. In his absence from the beloved, the act of remembering, or even fantasizing, becomes a form of poetic work, as if the imagination could substitute for the reality. This act of mental crafting serves as a buffer against the rawness of emotional loss.

Moreover, D'Orléans dares to express a wish, albeit tentatively-"So would I pray you, if I durst or may, / The sight to see as I have seen." This delicate plea unveils another layer of complexity, as the poet now wishes for the beloved to see herself as he sees her. This not only asserts the depth of his admiration but also hints at a desire for mutual understanding. It's as if by sharing this crafted vision, both could participate in a shared emotional experience that goes beyond physical presence or absence.

The poem closes with an admission of how important this "craft" is to him: "Forwhy that craft me is most fain, / And will be to the hour in which I day." To "day" here is a poetic way of referring to the moment of his death, illustrating the perennial nature of his emotional labor. His art, his craft, his devotion-all will endure "to the hour" of his final moments.

D'Orléans takes what could be a simple expression of desire and opens it into an exploration of the sustaining power of memory and imagination. "The Smiling Mouth" isn't just a poetic rendering of physical beauty; it's a testament to how the mind can convert the temporal into the eternal, and how the act of remembering can become a form of ongoing love, persisting even when faced with absence or the specter of mortality.

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