Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Kay Ryan’s poem "The Best of It" captures the resilience of the human spirit, exploring our capacity to adapt to diminishing circumstances and find meaning even in the smallest of successes. Through her characteristically brief and incisive style, Ryan distills a profound meditation on perseverance, resourcefulness, and the ways in which we rationalize and find joy in life’s limitations.

The opening lines, "However carved up / or pared down we get," establish a tone of inevitability, acknowledging the gradual erosion of resources, opportunities, or vitality that often defines human experience. The use of "carved up" and "pared down" conveys a sense of reduction, whether caused by external forces or the natural attrition of time. These phrases evoke both physical and existential diminishment, suggesting a life reduced to its bare essentials.

Despite this erosion, the poem pivots toward resilience: "we keep on making / the best of it." This phrase captures humanity’s enduring optimism and adaptability, as we adjust our expectations and redefine what constitutes fulfillment. Ryan’s use of "as though" introduces a tone of self-aware irony, suggesting that this ability to "make the best of it" may be both a strength and a form of denial. The line recognizes the tension between genuine resilience and the possibility that such adjustments are necessary illusions to keep despair at bay.

The metaphor of the "acre" shrinking "to a square foot" underscores the drastic scale of reduction, transforming a once-expansive space into something minuscule. This image encapsulates how much can be lost over time, yet also sets up the poem’s exploration of how we adapt to these constraints. The shift from the vast to the intimate highlights not only what is gone but also the potential for new meaning within what remains.

Ryan then introduces the image of a garden reduced to "one bean," a striking metaphor for survival and hope amidst scarcity. The single bean symbolizes both limitation and possibility, encapsulating the human capacity to find significance even in the smallest of successes. The phrase "we’d rejoice if / it flourishes" reflects an enduring sense of gratitude and wonder, suggesting that the act of nurturing and witnessing growth—no matter how modest—can bring profound satisfaction. The repetition of "one bean" emphasizes its singularity and fragility, yet also its sufficiency in the context of our capacity for resilience.

The poem’s final line, "as though one bean / could nourish us," closes with an ambiguity that encapsulates the poem’s central tension. On one hand, the line suggests a quiet acknowledgment of the impossibility of true sufficiency—one bean cannot literally sustain us. On the other hand, it implies that nourishment, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, is as much about perception and attitude as it is about quantity. The act of believing that "one bean" could nourish us becomes a testament to the power of hope and the human ability to find sustenance in symbols of potential.

Structurally, the poem’s brevity mirrors its thematic focus on reduction and minimalism. The compact lines and pared-down language reflect the very process of diminishment that the poem describes, while also embodying the resilience it celebrates. Each word is carefully chosen, with no excess, creating a sense of clarity and precision that underscores the poem’s exploration of making do with less.

Ryan’s tone is understated but deeply empathetic, capturing both the absurdity and dignity of human perseverance. The repetition of "as though" suggests a self-aware irony, acknowledging the tension between genuine joy and the necessity of rationalizing limitations. Yet the poem refrains from overt cynicism, instead celebrating the ingenuity and adaptability that allow us to thrive in diminished circumstances.

"The Best of It" ultimately speaks to the human capacity to find meaning and joy even as our resources, opportunities, or physical spaces shrink. Through her vivid imagery and spare language, Kay Ryan captures the paradox of resilience: how we continue to nurture hope and gratitude in the face of loss, making life meaningful even when it is "pared down" to its barest essentials. The poem invites readers to reflect on their own ability to adapt and to recognize the quiet triumph in cherishing even the smallest successes. It is a testament to the power of perspective and the enduring human spirit that finds sustenance in the simplest of things—perhaps even in "one bean."

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