Week 3 - Symbolism

          Meaning is absolutely crucial in any poetry. When a poem lacks any kind of intention or meaning, it is extremely difficult for me to fully understand or appreciate the written word. In addition, a poem without meaning very obviously lacks a sense of care and quality, and will end up being a poorly written poem. In the visual arts, however, meaning is not so crucial to a finished work. This is due to the fact that the way to experience art does not require a sense of analysis, and can be appreciated purely on the basis of that it looks nice. It is more difficult to get away with that in poetry, as it is difficult to arrange a poem in such a way that the only intention is that it looks nice. 

          It is entirely possible to delve too deeply in trying to understand meaning. I often draw the line when the individual attempting to understand the piece will try to link an object or description with something that was never even hinted at by the author. For example, if a poet creates a poem about an ocean wave with no other indication that it's representational of something else, and someone attempts to identify the ocean as a patriarchal oppressor given no indication by the author's life or explanation that it's apart of it, it's reached an unnecessary point. 

Jealousy

There is a scarf that you gave me when we first met

I wrapped it around me the moment I could

It was warm and soft and safe

The knitted scarf hugged me tightly around my neck

I wore it everywhere I went

I wore it around friends, around family

I showed it off to everyone I knew

They told me I was lucky to have gotten a scarf that fits me so well

You loved the scarf, and I loved you

Then things began to change

You wanted to know why I talk to my friend so much

Why he wants to see me so often

You tightened my scarf while you told me not to talk to him anymore

You tied it tighter and told me that you loved me

I adjusted it a little so it wouldn't be uncomfortable

After all, I wasn't worried

I knew girls who wore their scarves much tighter than mine

So I tolerated the extra itch, the extra grip, the extra stress

We were only a couple months in when the scarf began to hurt

You kept tightening it more every day

Insisting that it looks better this way 

You inspected my phone for messages while you gripped the scarf tighter

You cancelled my plans as you tied another knot

My neck was red and raw underneath

It began to be difficult to breathe

But I couldn't take the scarf off

There were too many knots to untie

I spent weeks trying to untie the scarf

It seemed every time I managed to loosen it you'd notice

I promised I'd still wear it even if it was looser

You told me that if I truly loved you I'd keep it the way you've tied it

It was what looked best on me, despite the redness and the bruising

You're just doing it to show me how much you care

Did I not appreciate what you've done for me?

I kept untying the knots

But quieter this time

It was months later when I finally untied the scarf

The once soft woven yarn was stretched and stringy

The pattern was weathered and warped

A tattered reminder of all that we had lost

I removed it quickly and gave it back to you

You panicked, you tried to wrap me up again

Tried to tell me that I look better when I have it on

That no one else looked as wonderful in it as me

But to me this scarf was like a noose now

Because for the first time since I met you I felt air in my lungs again

And I felt the wind against my bruised and weary neck

And I knew that I could never go back to being suffocated by you