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Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity | Introduction

Sandra Cisneros’s poem “Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity” is from her third book of poetry, Loose Woman (1994). The poem is a celebration of romantic love. The female speaker imagines how excited and delighted she would be if her lover were to return. She lets her mind and heart contemplate all the things she would do for him and how well she would treat him and relates how beautiful he is. She says she would dote on him and make sure she fully got to know him before he departed again, as she knows he would.

Cisneros is noted not only for her poems but also for her novels and short stories. She typically portrays strong, independent women of Mexican American heritage, who refuse to conform to traditional male expectations of how women should behave and what their place in society should be. “Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity” is not exactly a typical Cisneros piece, since it does not emphasize the Chicano or feminist aspect of her work. Instead, it is a heartfelt expression of the ideal of romantic love. It reveals the heightened perceptions and intensity of sensual and emotional responses that such love calls forth. It also expresses the realization that in such intense experiences of love, whether they last or not, lie the seeds of creativity and art.

Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity Summary

Stanza 1
“Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity” begins with the speaker imagining the return of someone she obviously loves deeply. Addressing the absent lover directly, she imagines how she would act toward him if he returned. First, she would treat him like a valuable work of art, such as a piece by Matisse that had been considered lost. Henri Matisse was a French painter and sculptor who lived from 1869 to 1954. The speaker would also honor her returning lover by seating him on a couch like a pasha. A pasha was a Turkish title of rank or honor, placed after a person’s name. The speaker then says she would dance a Sevillana, which is a dance from Seville, Spain that can be performed by a single female dancer. She would also leap around like a Taiwanese diva. Diva literally means goddess, and the term is often applied to female vocal stars in pop and opera. Taiwan has a number of young, female pop stars who are often called divas. They are known for their energetic and athletic performances on stage.

Next, the speaker says she would bang cymbals like in a Chinese opera. Chinese opera makes frequent use of percussion instruments. The persona of the poem would also “roar like a Fellini soundtrack.” Federico Fellini (1920–1993) was an Italian film director, famous for innovative films such as La strada, La dolce vita, and Otto e mezzo (8-1/2). Nino Rota wrote the music for Fellini’s films, which contribute greatly to their impact. The two men had a long collaboration, which ended only with Rota’s death in 1979. The poem’s speaker says she would also laugh like... » Complete Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity Summary