The Poet Cleaning

Summary

The poem "The Poet Cleaning" explores the vulnerability and self-reflection inherent in the creative process of a poet.

Abstract

"The Poet Cleaning" is a poignant poem that delves into the raw and often painful process of poetic creation, likened to a visceral act of self-surgery. The poet, akin to a creature emerging from the sea, grapples with the emotional intensity of their craft. Christina Ward, the author, draws on her background in environmental science and creative writing to craft a vivid metaphor of the poet's journey. The poem describes a poet's struggle to extract and shape their inner thoughts, a process that requires them to confront and dissect their own vulnerabilities. The imagery of plucking out fibroadenomas symbolizes the excision of personal burdens or inspirations, while the act of carving into oneself represents the baring of the soul essential to genuine poetic expression.

Opinions

The poem suggests that the act of writing poetry is akin to a deeply personal and transformative act of self-cleansing.
There is a sense of the poet's duality: both the creator and the subject of their work, as they must look inward to produce art that resonates outwardly.
The metaphor of the sea and the act of birthing vowels implies that poetry is an elemental force, deeply connected to the natural world and the essence of life.
The poem conveys a reverence for the written word, as well as the sacrifices and emotional labor involved in the pursuit of poetic truth.

a poem — on the vulnerability of being a poet

Ripped from the belly of the sea pregnant with vowels our tails slap hard pendulous swings, our eyes are benign, panicked moons, fibroadenomas sitting inside our heads.

They must be plucked out.

We climb outside ourselves, hold the knife steady, scrape against the grain, shedding our silvers until we are clean, carve a canoe-slice across our necks another, neck to belly, our insides slide free.

Christina Ward is an accomplished poet, aspiring author, and columnist for the Observer News Enterprise newspaper. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Catawba College in Environmental Science which greatly influences her work. She also studied creative writing and English at Catawba. Her poetry has been published in the Cameo print literary magazine, the Arrowhead print literary magazine, Vita Brevis Poetry Magazine, and in Wolff Poetry Literary Magazine.