Like I have stated in class, I have never been a real big fan of poetry mainly due to the fact that it is time consuming to analyze what the author is trying to say. However, this time as I read "On Parting" by Cate Marvin I found myself willing to spend that time to actually break it down.
I began by wondering what the title could possibly mean before I actually began to read. At first glance I assumed the poem would be about the author's view of what they believe occurs as they pass away. However, after reading it I would say I was puzzled by some (MANY) aspects of the poem.
Before I get into where my confusion kicks in I would like to first explain what is going on in this poem and state what I feel the author is trying to tell us as readers. In this poem it seems as if the narrator has come to terms with dying and upon doing so, gives some gratitude for a lot at someone. This quite confused me as some of those things he was grateful for were that individual getting robbed and them finding someone laying unconsciously (Obviously A LOT to take in). Despite this I still managed to come up with my own idea in what I believe is occurring. To start of I feel as if this narrator isn't really wishing these things upon this individual. In fact, I feel as if the narrator envies the individual since in order for these events to take place one would have to be alive for them to happen which as we all know the narrator has little life to live. As he is dying he realizes that one should even be grateful for these bad occurrences that happen in one's life because they're at least alive. Line eight and nine help hint at this as the narrator even gives thanks to "the sun that makes your face old" which helps prove this idea of them trying to give this individual a new perspective on how they should live their life
Now I begin to get perplexed towards the end of the poem where the narrator begins to talk about how one should basically despise their skin for not remembering events. I mean like I don't really now how that line relates to the rest of the poem. Is it said in a literal way? What's the meaning behind that line? If you're wondering which line I'm referring to it is the one that says, "No thanks to the skin forgetting the hands it welcomed, your hands refusing to recall what they happened upon you." I understand the rest of the last stanza for the most part as it basically states that life is over before you know it and how one second your body will be going from moving to unexisting, but that line just puzzles me to no end. While I understand the gist of the other stanzas I don't quite comprehend the line that speaks about eyes morphing from stars to holes. I mean is it a metaphor and if so, for what?
Overall, for the most part I really enjoyed this poem and the way the poet utilizes these events that have a negative connotation to them and changes them in a way that makes them appear good. It was smart to do that as it leaves the reader confused for the first couple of reads until it begins to make sense and one begins to appreciate the effort put into coming up with such a creative way to state this message. I guess in the end this analyzation was not as bad as I would have expected.
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