Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Fanny Howe’s "Not As Much" is a brief yet striking poem that juxtaposes sensory delicacy with a raw, elemental image. The poem moves from the subtleties of scent and color to an arresting vision of a woman and the sea, creating a layered meditation on perception, desire, and intensity.

The opening line, "Bracken and primrose edible smells," immediately immerses the reader in a world of natural fragrances. Bracken—a type of fern—carries an earthy, almost wild connotation, while primrose evokes a floral sweetness. The phrase "edible smells" suggests a synesthetic blending of taste and scent, a bodily engagement with the environment that goes beyond mere observation.

The next line, "the color of the taste," extends this synesthesia, dissolving the boundaries between senses. Colors are not just seen; they are tasted, reinforcing a perception of the world as richly interwoven, where sensory experiences overlap and deepen.

The poem then shifts from the natural world to human aesthetics: "what some girls wear simply delights me." This line suggests an appreciation for fashion, for the ways in which clothing enhances or transforms a body. Yet, this delight is tempered by the following phrase: "but not as much." This comparison sets up the climax of the poem, as the speaker’s admiration for clothing and its artifice pales in comparison to something more primal and unmediated.

The final image—"as a naked woman raking the waves with her breasts"—is powerful and unexpected. The word "raking" suggests both a physical motion and a sense of impact, as if the woman’s body is actively shaping or disturbing the sea. There is a mythic quality to the image, reminiscent of Venus rising from the waves or an elemental goddess merging with nature. The contrast between the clothed and the unclothed, the passive delight and the active force, creates a tension that underlines the poem’s core theme: the intensity of direct, unfiltered experience versus the charm of aesthetic presentation.

Ultimately, "Not As Much" is a poem about the hierarchy of sensation. The speaker acknowledges pleasure in the delicate—the fragrance of flowers, the sight of fashion—but finds something far more compelling in the raw, unmediated connection between body and nature. The poem suggests that while artifice can delight, it is the elemental and the unrestrained that truly captivate.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...