Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Howard Moss’s poem "Magic Affinities" delves into the complexities of desire, love, and the human condition through a rich tapestry of imagery and reflective musings. Divided into three parts, the poem explores the interplay between natural and artificial elements, the passage of time, and the ways in which we navigate our own emotions and relationships.

In the first section, Moss introduces the concept of "magic affinities," a term that evokes a sense of mystical connections and innate attractions. The speaker addresses a "lady of magic affinities," suggesting a person who embodies or understands these profound connections. The opening lines, "You, the lady of magic affinities, / Know how appetite grows larger on / What starves it," reflect the paradoxical nature of desire—how longing can intensify when it is unfulfilled. The notion of "lovely days for love" hints at the ideal conditions for romance, yet the speaker acknowledges the potential for deception: "I could write / And lie."

The poem juxtaposes the natural with the artificial, as seen in "The dancers' synthetic intensity / Blurs the stony difference between / Desire and desire." This blurring suggests that even genuine emotions can be masked or distorted by superficial displays. The imagery of the sea "filled with old Elizabethan plays" evokes a sense of historical depth and the enduring nature of human dramas. The speaker’s self-reproachful cry of "Liar!" and the subsequent lines, "The sunset's gravity reveals / Antonyms of green-mirrors and delights," underscore the tension between truth and illusion.

Moss continues to explore these themes through a series of metaphors, including the "astrological swan" and "sky-sculptured coliseums," which symbolize the lofty and often unattainable aspirations of human desire. The concluding reflection, "We were. We are. We will not be," encapsulates the transient nature of existence and the inevitability of change. The poem's first section ends with a plea for the lady to simply "arrive," highlighting the longing for presence and connection amidst the chaos.

The second section revisits and reinterprets the themes and images from the first part, creating a sense of cyclical reflection. The speaker acknowledges past complacency as pleasurable but recognizes that "gravel is not grass"—an acknowledgment that the foundation of their relationship may not be as nourishing or stable as it seemed. The repetition of phrases like "evil arrives, disguised and pitiful" and "blurring the difference between the sea / And the remaining sunset" emphasizes the recurring nature of disillusionment and the challenge of discerning reality from illusion.

Moss's use of the "swan as a dancer of intensity" and the "antonyms of gravity and light" further explores the dualities inherent in human experience. The speaker notes that despite their synthetic nature, these antonyms still hold significance, suggesting that even artificial or constructed experiences can hold meaning. The line "We fight the lovely days of love, and lie" encapsulates the internal conflicts and self-deceptions that often accompany romantic pursuits.

In the final section, Moss shifts the focus to a broader contemplation of nature and existence. The lines "Since tired nature is indifferent to / Coins, coliseums, Elizabethan plays, / And forms of knowledge, lady, arrive" suggest that the natural world remains unaffected by human constructs and concerns. The speaker's call for the lady to "be, like the astrological swan, / A magic affinity of appetite" reaffirms the desire for a genuine, almost mystical connection that transcends the artificialities of life.

The poem concludes with a meditation on the inevitability of nature's indifference: "The sea is filled with sunsets and reveals / What largely starves us: the complacencies / Of habit—not the mirrors and delights / Of pleasure, but the lying sticks and stones / Of loveless days on lovely days for love." Here, Moss contrasts the beauty of natural phenomena with the hollow routines that often define human existence. The final lines, "only nature arrives," underscore the ultimate supremacy and inevitability of the natural world, despite human attempts to impose meaning and structure.

"Magic Affinities" by Howard Moss is a richly layered poem that explores the tensions between desire and fulfillment, illusion and reality, and the natural and artificial aspects of life. Through its evocative imagery and philosophical reflections, the poem invites readers to consider the complexities of human emotions and the ways in which we seek and sometimes fail to connect with one another and the world around us.

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