Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Folk Tale" masterfully blends the whimsical with the profound, creating a narrative that resonates with the timelessness of myth while remaining deeply rooted in the realities of human relationships. Through the story of a man and woman who, overwhelmed by the constriction of their domestic life, gradually transform their home into an ark-like refuge, Pastan explores themes of confinement, survival, and the inevitable passage of time.

The poem begins by presenting the couple as a "multitude of two," a phrase that hints at both the intimacy and the tension inherent in their relationship. The imagery of "knobs and knuckles, hammer knees and elbows" evokes the rough, awkward physicality of aging bodies, suggesting that their closeness is not a smooth, easy connection but one marked by collisions and compromises. They "collide" repeatedly in their small, shared spaces, much like "aging children aiming those / bumper cars." This simile, playful yet tinged with a sense of futility, underscores the way their lives have become a series of repetitive motions, bumping into each other without truly connecting.

The introduction of the animals into their home marks a turning point in the narrative. Initially, the couple's home is depicted as a place of tension and discomfort, where even the simplest interactions are fraught with the potential for conflict. However, by bringing the cow "straight from the barn, / oppressed for years with milk" into their home, they disrupt the sterile, constrained order of their domestic life. The cow, tied to the icebox and "pastured" among houseplants, becomes a symbol of both the absurdity and the necessity of this disruption. The other animals—horse, pig, donkey, rooster, hens—soon follow, along with a neighbor's child, who introduces yet another layer of complexity to their already chaotic existence.

This transformation of their home into a kind of ark is at once fantastical and deeply symbolic. The animals, representing various aspects of life and survival, bring with them a sense of vitality and immediacy that had been lacking. The poem suggests that by embracing this chaos, the couple is able to survive not only physically but emotionally as well. They "survived with all that cuckoo's brood," a phrase that captures the unruliness of their new life but also its richness. The sounds and movements of the animals, the routine of milking and gathering eggs, and the presence of the child all contribute to a life that is fuller, if messier, than the one they had before.

However, this idyll is not permanent. As the seasons pass—winter, spring, summer—the temporary nature of this arrangement becomes apparent. The departure of the child for school, the death of the cow, and the eventual escape of the remaining animals mark the end of this chapter in the couple's life. The "ark" they had created is emptied, leaving them once again alone in their home. Yet this time, the space that once felt confining is now expansive, filled with the echoes of the life that had briefly animated it.

The final image of the poem is both poignant and ambiguous. The man and woman, having waved goodbye to the last of their animal companions, "jostling a bit, for ceremony's sake, / they turned and lost themselves in so much space." This closing line suggests a return to their earlier state of confinement, but with a difference. The space that once seemed oppressive is now vast and empty, filled with the memories of the chaos that had briefly filled their lives. The phrase "lost themselves" implies a dissolution of the boundaries between them, a merging that is both physical and emotional. They are no longer colliding, but neither are they fully distinct individuals; they are simply part of the space they inhabit.

"Folk Tale" is a rich and layered poem that uses the structure of a traditional narrative to explore the complexities of domestic life, the inevitability of change, and the ways in which we navigate the spaces between intimacy and isolation. Pastan's use of vivid, sometimes surreal imagery, combined with her nuanced understanding of human relationships, creates a poem that is both timeless and deeply personal. The story of the couple and their ark serves as a metaphor for the ways in which we cope with the pressures of life, finding moments of connection and meaning even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.

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