Ars_Poetica

Archibald MacLeish- Ars Poetica This poem is about poetry and how it should be read. The first line of the first stanza states, “A poem should be palpable and mute”. In being palpable, a poem should be of substance, tangible, and real and most importantly of worth to the reader. In saying that a poem should be mute suggests that it should invoke more of a feeling than merely laying down meaningless words. These two terms form a paradox to emphasize the fact that a poem should be simple and should evoke unique feelings from each reader. It continues, “As a globed fruit”. A fruit is accessible to all, for all to enjoy and in this way he uses this simile to demonstrate how a poem should be. It is globed, spherical, a continuum, it is everlasting and can be interpreted in many ways. The word, “globe” implies a sense of hollowness which contradicts the tangibility of the fruit. This paradox reinforces the notion expressed in the first line, that a poem means different things to different people. It continues, “Dumb/ As old medallions to the thumb”. This implies that poetry should not be expressed or articulated in mere sounds and words, but that it rather creates a familiar feeling, even a sense of worth. Further, “Silent as the sleeve-worn stone/ Of casement ledges where the moss has grown”. One would not see nor hear the moss growing, rather one day notice its existence. In this way, poetry should be subtle in the way it affects the reader. And then, “A poem should be wordless/ As the flight of birds”. A poem should convey a message without intending to, just witnessing a flight of birds would have an emotional impact on the viewer. The common thread in using the words “mute”, “dumb”, “silent” and “wordless” reinforces the impact the poet attempts to make, namely that a poem should not dictate a meaning but rather invoke a feeling that is true to the individual. The poet makes extensive use of similes and short, simple verses to convey this message. The first lines of the second stanza read, “A poem should be motionless in time/ As the moon climbs”. Similarly to moss growing, one would not notice the journey the moon takes as it rises. When reading a poem, you do not grasp the full concept of its message until you have completed it. Even then not all elements of the poem are clear. Certain phrases will capture your attention and hold emotional relevance; others will remain blurred in their meaning as well as in their emotional impact. This is demonstrated in the next lines, “Leaving, as the moon releases/ Twig by twig the night-entangled trees”. Once again “leaving” is repeated, “Leaving, as the moon behind the winter leaves,/ Memory by memory the mind-”. This implies that once you have finished reading the poem, you should be able to take something away from it, something that will remain in your thoughts whether conscious or subconscious. The first lines of this stanza are then repeated, linking to the idea of memory, there is something in these words the poet wishes to reinforce. He aims to instill the concept that although the moon is not motionless, it seems to be that way, just as a poem can evoke one reaction on first glance but then continue to extend its reach within the readers mind. The final stanza begins, “A poem should be equal to:/ Not true”. These lines can be perceived to mean that a particular poem should evoke emotions that are relative to oneself and not impose a specific feeling on the reader. A poem should not necessarily have a definitive meaning; rather conjure unique responses in each individual. Then, “For all the history of grief/ An empty doorway and a maple leaf” and, “For love/ The leaning grasses and two lights above the sea-”. Feelings of grief and love although universal are also circumstance specific. The love or grief I experience personally will never be the love or grief experienced by another person, however similar the situation. This is true when reading poetry, we may share similar feelings, but our overall interpretation and emotions will diverge. The “empty doorway and a maple leaf” as well as the “leaning grasses and two lights above the sea” reflect readers differing interpretations when reading a poem. The poem concludes, “A poem should not mean/ But be”. A poem should not mean anything but rather allow the reader to take from it what they will. The initial idea set forth in the first two lines of the poem are mirrored in the final lines, in that a poem should invoke more of a feeling than merely laying down meaningless words.