Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Kay Ryan’s poem "That Will to Divest" is a meditation on the compulsion to simplify, both materially and existentially, and the momentum such a process can generate. True to her minimalist style, Ryan uses concise language, sharp enjambment, and an understated wit to explore the cascading effects of letting go, suggesting that divestment, once started, can become an irresistible and transformative force.

The poem opens with a general observation: "Action creates / a taste / for itself." This assertion introduces the idea that actions, once initiated, can develop into habits or compulsions. The choice of the word "taste" conveys both an appetite and a newfound pleasure in the act of doing. Ryan immediately situates the poem in the realm of human behavior, establishing a tone that is both reflective and cautionary. This observation sets the stage for a deeper exploration of how the act of simplifying—whether physical, emotional, or existential—feeds on itself and gains momentum.

The poem then transitions into a vivid, domestic example: "Meaning: once / you’ve swept / the shelves / of spoons / and plates / you kept / for guests." This image grounds the abstract concept in the tangible act of decluttering, specifically ridding oneself of objects that represent hospitality or obligation. The "spoons / and plates" evoke a world of social expectations, suggesting that the speaker’s initial act of divestment involves rejecting these imposed roles. The enjambed lines create a sense of movement, mimicking the physical act of sweeping away clutter, while also emphasizing the deliberate yet incremental nature of the process.

Ryan’s language becomes more expansive as the poem progresses: "it gets harder / not to also / simplify the larder, / not to dismiss / rooms, not to / divest yourself / of all the chairs / but one." Here, the scope of divestment grows, moving from shelves to larders to entire rooms and their furnishings. The speaker captures the snowball effect of letting go, as each step toward simplicity makes the next step feel not only inevitable but also necessary. The escalation is both practical and psychological; the act of divesting is no longer just a decision but a compulsion to test boundaries. The phrase "all the chairs / but one" is particularly striking, conjuring an image of stark isolation and self-sufficiency, as though the speaker seeks to pare life down to its most essential components.

The poem crescendos with the line: "not / to test what / singleness can bear, / once you’ve begun." The word "singleness" here resonates on multiple levels, referring both to a material singularity (the bare minimum of possessions) and to an existential solitude. The act of divestment becomes a philosophical exercise, a way of confronting what it means to exist in isolation from societal and material attachments. The phrase "what singleness can bear" suggests both a challenge and a question: how much can one strip away before reaching a breaking point? The final line, "once you’ve begun," underscores the irreversibility of this process. The act of divesting, though liberating, carries with it an inexorable momentum that can be difficult to halt.

Structurally, the poem mirrors its subject matter. The short, clipped lines and enjambment create a sense of acceleration and inevitability, echoing the cascading nature of the speaker’s divestment. Ryan’s use of plain, conversational diction makes the poem accessible while imbuing it with profound philosophical implications. The lack of punctuation lends a continuous, unbroken quality to the poem, reflecting the unstoppable force of the process it describes.

"That Will to Divest" can be interpreted in several ways. On a literal level, it addresses the modern trend of minimalism, exploring the joy and compulsion of simplifying one’s material life. On a deeper level, however, it speaks to the human desire to strip away the inessential in search of clarity or self-discovery. The process of divestment becomes a metaphor for existential inquiry: what remains when all that is nonessential has been removed? Ryan’s poem also hints at the risks of such a pursuit. While the act of letting go can be liberating, it can also lead to isolation or a relentless testing of limits that may prove unsustainable.

Ultimately, "That Will to Divest" is a nuanced exploration of the interplay between freedom and restraint, between the joy of simplicity and the danger of excess even in minimalism. Ryan’s ability to encapsulate such profound themes in her tightly controlled verse speaks to her mastery of brevity and depth. The poem leaves readers pondering the fine line between liberation and loneliness, and the extent to which we can—or should—divest ourselves in the quest for a more authentic existence.

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