avatarMelissa Coffey

Summary

"The Find: A Poem" is a reflective piece by Melissa Coffey that delves into the introspective journey of a poet unearthing profound insights and personal narratives from the depths of ordinary life.

Abstract

The poem "The Find: A Poem" by Melissa Coffey, published in November 2021, captures the essence of a poet's quest for deeper understanding amidst the ruins of everyday experiences. The poet is portrayed as an anthropologist and archaeologist, meticulously searching for hidden meanings and stories etched in the fabric of the mundane. Through her exploration of time-worn narratives and the excavation of memories, she discovers metaphors and insights, which she likens to ancient hieroglyphics and artifacts. The poem describes her process of sifting through layers of perception to uncover the raw and rare elements of human experience, which she then translates into poetry, infusing it with her own essence. Coffey's work is a testament to the intricate process of creation, where the poet emerges from the catacombs of introspection with revelations as precious as myrrh, ready to be shared on the page.

Opinions

  • The poet views herself as an explorer of the ordinary, seeking to uncover the extraordinary within.
  • There is a reverence for the act of writing poetry, equating the discovery of poetic material to archaeological finds.
  • The process of poetry writing is seen as both a personal journey and a universal quest for understanding.
  • The poem suggests that poetry can reveal hidden truths and preserve the essence of human experiences.
  • The author emphasizes the importance of revision in poetry, offering insights into her creative process in a related article.
  • Melissa Coffey's work is characterized by an exploration of themes such as desire, female sexuality, and gender politics.

The Find: A Poem

Searching for runes amongst the ruins

Photo by Raph Howald on Unsplash

In the spaces between the familiar, in the places others don’t see, she peers; searching for runes amongst the ruins of past perceptions, delving behind and beneath the stoic foundations of the ordinary; an anthropologist of ideas an archaeologist of words

Descending into her dark chambers of time-worn narratives, scouring the walls for secret signs and subtexts, yielding to the acuity of her magnifying lens; unearthing shards of experience, and artefacts of memory

She excavates their jagged edges for metaphors; etched deep, like hieroglyphics holding secrets carbon-dating for particles of insight, she sifts and safeguards the dust; microscopic motes of story

From her underground catacombs of introspection, clasping precious finds, rare perfumes of revelation, resinous and aromatic as myrrh from ancient urns, she emerges, intoxicated with discovery, spilling poetry upon the page, and always tainting the evidence with fragments of herself

© Melissa Coffey November 2021

To read my poetry article that discusses the development of this poem & other techniques to revise your poetry, head here.

Melissa Coffey is an Australian writer, poet & editor. Her print publications include memoir and non-fiction creative essays. Her short stories and poetry are published in numerous international and Australian anthologies (sometimes incognito), and explore desire, female sexuality and gender politics.

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