Primacy of the Physical World
In Richard Wilbur's body of work, "Love Calls Us to the Things of This World" emerges as a quintessential poem that encapsulates a recurring theme within his oeuvre: the emphasis on the tangible, physical world. Despite the lure of philosophical musings—a thread that is frequently woven throughout his poetry—Wilbur steadfastly champions the primacy of the tangible elements around us. He vividly articulates this in the poem, referring to them as "the world's hunks and colors." This perspective underscores Wilbur's belief that true meaning and beauty are realized through a keen, observational engagement with the world.
Wilbur's commitment to this theme is further evidenced by his decision to incorporate part of the poem's title into the name of the volume in which it was published, Things of This World (1956). This collection was notably recognized with a Pulitzer Prize, highlighting the significance and impact of his work. The poem serves as a touchstone within his larger body of work, reflecting his dedication to exploring the richness of the physical world and the beauty that can be discerned when one is attuned to the details of the everyday surroundings. Through his poetry, Wilbur invites readers to share in this appreciation, urging them to find wonder and meaning in the concrete aspects of life.
Creative Process and Imagination
The poem delves into the heart of the creative process, exploring the intricate relationship between imagination and reality. At its outset, a freshly awakened soul whimsically transforms a mundane scene of laundry into a celestial vision of angels. This playful act serves as a metaphorical illustration, capturing the essence of creativity—viewing the familiar through a lens of wonder and reimagining it as something entirely new. By depicting this transformation, the poem highlights the power of metaphor, where a simple shift in perspective allows the ordinary to become extraordinary, illustrating the boundless potential of the imagination.
Role of Love in Creativity
The soul, captivated by its own profound engagements, often finds itself in a state where the everyday world appears lackluster and devoid of inspiration. Mundane routines are perceived as a relentless assault on the potential joy each day holds. However, it is love—central to Wilbur's creative philosophy—that summons the soul back to embrace the physical realm with all its imperfections. This force that reconciles the soul and the body, even if it manifests as a "bitter love," remains an undeniable form of love. It is this very love that acts as the catalyst, compelling the soul to acknowledge and accept the realities of the waking body, thereby fostering creativity and expression in the tangible world.
Metaphor as a Tool, Not a Displacement
Engaging with the world through metaphor allows the soul to embrace reality without dismissing the power of symbolic thought. A metaphor should be perceived as a tool, enriching our perceptions, rather than a mere distraction from truth. In a playful dance between imagination and reality, the speaker envisions laundry fluttering on a line as angels. This whimsical image is set aside as the speaker dresses, yet it leaves a lasting impression. The clothes, ordinary as they may seem, are forever transformed by this moment of creative vision.
Through metaphor, the mind draws new understandings from lived experiences. For instance, the speaker observes "the heaviest nuns walk in a pure floating/ Of dark habits," merging the tangible with the ethereal. Such imagery elevates everyday moments, infusing them with deeper meaning. When love calls the soul back to the waking world from the depths of sleep, it awakens with a renewed capacity to perceive the sacredness in the mundane. Each day, thus seen through the lens of metaphor, becomes "blessèd," a tapestry woven with both the seen...
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and the imagined, where the tangible is interlaced with the spiritual.
Delight in Metaphor
Richard Wilbur, in his poem “Praise in Summer,” muses over the poet's affinity for "wrenching things awry," pondering the allure of metaphor. He questions whether the familiarity of everyday existence dulls our perception, leading us to disrupt and reconfigure the world in order to truly understand it: "Does sense so stale that it must needs derange/ The world to know it?" In exploring this profound inquiry, Wilbur’s "Love Calls Us to the Things of This World" offers a potential response, delving into the core of his reflective journey.
Imagination and Appreciation of the World
The act of loving immerses an individual deeply into the world, fostering a connection that might otherwise deteriorate without the enriching power of imagination. This imaginative faculty enables a renewed appreciation, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary. For instance, the whimsical vision of bedsheets perceived as angels exemplifies a "wrenching things awry," a delightful distortion that enriches one's view of the world. Though initially a jarring image, once embraced as a metaphor rather than a tangible reality, it offers fresh insight and invigorates our perception. This transformative use of metaphor is a defining feature of Wilbur’s oeuvre, most notably exemplified in “Love Calls Us to the Things of This World.”