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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
Stanley Jasspon Kunitz’s poem “Knot” is a meditation on the persistence of trauma and memory, and the struggle to reconcile with parts of oneself that resist suppression. Through vivid natural imagery and a tone that oscillates between resignation and acceptance, Kunitz explores the tenacity of life's scars and the inevitability of their influence on our existence. The poem opens with the speaker’s acknowledgment of a persistent and troublesome mark: “I've tried to seal it in, that cross-grained knot on the opposite wall, / scored in the lintel of my door.” This knot, metaphorically represented, suggests a past wound or unresolved issue that the speaker has attempted to conceal. The choice of “cross-grained” implies a stubborn, resistant quality, something that does not easily conform or smooth over. The lintel, a horizontal support above a door, signifies a threshold, indicating that this knot is positioned at a critical juncture in the speaker’s life, perhaps symbolizing a transition or barrier. Despite efforts to suppress it, the knot “keeps bleeding through into the world we share.” The imagery of bleeding emphasizes the living, active nature of this trauma—it cannot be contained or ignored, as it seeps into shared reality, affecting not just the speaker but their environment and relationships. The use of “world we share” broadens the impact of this internal struggle, suggesting that personal pain invariably influences one's external interactions and surroundings. The speaker’s mornings begin with an awareness of this persistent issue: “Mornings when I wake, curled in my web, I hear it come / with a rush of resin out of the trauma of its lopping-off.” The metaphor of waking “curled in my web” evokes a sense of entrapment and fragility, as if the speaker is enmeshed in their own intricate and delicate psyche. The “rush of resin” symbolizes the flow of memory and emotion from the site of the original trauma, likened to the natural process of sap flowing from a tree wound. This natural comparison underscores the organic, inevitable emergence of past pain. Kunitz describes the knot as an “Obstinate bud, sticky with life, / mad for the rain again.” This personification imbues the knot with a life force, a relentless drive for growth and renewal despite its origins in trauma. The description of it being “sticky with life” and “mad for the rain” highlights its vitality and the inherent desire for healing and sustenance, represented by the rain. However, this vitality is also a source of discomfort, as it “racks itself with shoots that crackle overhead, / dividing as they grow.” The growth is not smooth or easy; it is painful and disruptive, symbolizing the complex process of dealing with past wounds. The speaker’s reaction shifts from an attempt to suppress to a form of acceptance: “Let be! Let be!” This repetition signifies a turning point, a surrender to the natural course of growth and healing. The speaker no longer fights the knot but instead embraces it. The final lines, “I shake my wings and fly into its boughs,” depict a transformation and integration. The speaker, symbolized as a creature with wings, perhaps a bird or a butterfly, embraces the knot’s boughs, indicating a union with their past and an acceptance of its role in their identity. In summary, Stanley Jasspon Kunitz’s “Knot” is a profound reflection on the persistence of trauma and the journey towards acceptance and integration. Through rich natural imagery and a contemplative tone, Kunitz captures the inevitability of past wounds bleeding into the present and the struggle to reconcile with these persistent aspects of the self. The poem’s evolution from suppression to acceptance highlights the transformative power of embracing one's history and the resilience inherent in the human spirit.
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