Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Muriel Rukeyser's poem "Nuns in the Wind" intertwines the ordinary and the surreal to explore themes of influence, transformation, and existential uncertainty. The poem opens with a seemingly mundane scene: leaving the New York Public Library. However, this moment quickly gains a surreal edge as a "covey of nuns" moves towards "physics textbooks," a juxtaposition that introduces a sense of the unexpected and the symbolic into the urban landscape.

The speaker reflects on a statement made by someone about their influence leading to happier poems. This is immediately undercut by the "tragic fiascos" that shadowed the spring, suggesting a persistent tension between external expectations and internal realities. The reference to the children singing and the desire to be the "King in the carol" conveys a longing for innocence and peace, yet this is contrasted with memories of Costa Brava and the realization that "there was no peace." The mimosa tree blossoms and the orange cliff evoke a sense of beauty and nostalgia, yet they also highlight the impermanence and fleeting nature of such moments.

The conversation with the unnamed "you" continues, offering a sense of both intimacy and disconnection. The phrase "Take it easy" stands in stark contrast to the chaotic events described, such as the "five-day fall of cities" where essential elements of society vanish one by one. The surreal image of nuns blocking intersections and reading underscores the sense of disruption and incongruity pervading the poem.

The speaker's walks in the park, contemplating a "locked face" and "coarse enemy skin," suggest an encounter with something both familiar and alien. The mention of the "4 a.m. cop" who "could never understand" adds to the sense of isolation and the struggle to find meaning or connection in a fractured world.

The poem's most profound moments come when the speaker reflects on the nature of existence and the duality of life and death: "You said, not smiling, You are the future for me, / but you were the present and immediate moment / and I am empty-armed without, until to me is given / two lights to carry: my life and the light of my death." This passage captures the existential weight of the speaker's journey, balancing the immediate and the eternal, the tangible and the transcendent.

The imagery of the nuns' "black throbbing umbrellas" flying down the street, their robes "flapping," and the hope that "poisons cannot linger / when the wind rises" symbolizes a desire for cleansing, transformation, and the end of lingering darkness. Yet, despite the chaotic year described as lacking a "classical declaration of war" and filled with "lechery and disorder," there is a sense of acceptance and sovereignty: "And I am queen on that island."

The final stanza brings the poem full circle, returning to the bustling urban scene with the "busy crosstown noontime crossing, peopled with nuns." The speaker's command to "wake up" and the self-reassurance to "make believe you can help yourself alone" suggest a resolve to face reality with independence and strength. The imagery of the wind, which once disrupted the nuns, now serves as a metaphor for resilience and change: "cities shake in the wind, the year’s over, / calendars tear, and their clothes blow."

In "Nuns in the Wind," Rukeyser blends the surreal with the everyday to explore deep themes of transformation, existential struggle, and the search for meaning. The poem's rich imagery, shifting tones, and poignant reflections capture the complexity of navigating a world marked by both beauty and chaos, ultimately suggesting a journey towards self-realization and acceptance amidst the unpredictable forces of life.

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