Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Diagnosis," Sharon Olds presents a brief yet evocative narrative that encapsulates a pivotal moment in the speaker's early life. The poem explores the perception of a child's demeanor by her mother and a doctor's contrasting diagnosis. Through its concise language and understated humor, the poem delves into themes of misunderstanding, parental expectations, and the nature of individuality.

The poem opens with the speaker, in retrospect, describing her mother's early concerns about her behavior. By the time she was "six months old," the mother had already sensed something amiss. This early age emphasizes the precociousness with which the mother perceived her child's uniqueness, or, as she feared, abnormality. The mother's observations are heightened by the repetition of the phrase "looks on my face" and the specification that these expressions were unseen in "any child in the family, or the extended family, or the neighborhood." This hyperbolic assertion underscores the mother’s anxiety and sense of isolation in her concern, as if no other child had ever exhibited such peculiarities.

The narrative then shifts to a visit to a pediatrician, characterized as "a doctor with a name like a suit size for a wheel: Hub Long." This simile injects a touch of whimsy into the description, setting the stage for the gentle humor that pervades the poem. The mother’s unvoiced fear that her child might be "Possessed" is juxtaposed with her actual concern about the "strange looks" the baby exhibits. The use of the capitalized "Possessed" hints at an almost superstitious or irrational fear, elevating the mother's worry to a dramatic level.

The interaction with the doctor becomes a critical moment. His kind demeanor and the casual way he "conversed" with the baby contrast starkly with the mother's heightened vigilance. The climax occurs when the mother eagerly points out the baby’s unusual expression: "She’s doing it now! Look! She’s doing it now!" The exclamation marks and repetition convey the mother’s urgency and perhaps a desire for validation of her fears. However, the doctor's calm diagnosis deflates the tension with unexpected levity: "What your daughter has is called a sense of humor." This diagnosis, delivered with deadpan simplicity, shifts the poem's tone from anxious to gently ironic. The mother's reaction, a simple "Ohhh," followed by her taking the child home, encapsulates a moment of realization and acceptance.

The closing lines of the poem, "where that sense would be tested / and found to be incurable," provide a wry conclusion. The notion of a "sense of humor" being "incurable" plays with the language of medical diagnosis, ironically framing the child's personality trait as a condition that cannot and should not be cured. This final twist reaffirms the individuality and naturalness of the child’s behavior, subtly critiquing the impulse to pathologize difference.

Structurally, "Diagnosis" is composed in a single, unbroken stanza, reflecting the straightforwardness and continuity of the narrative. The lack of punctuation and the enjambment contribute to a flowing, conversational tone, mirroring the easygoing nature of the doctor's interaction with the child. The poem’s form supports its thematic content, emphasizing the simplicity and clarity that emerges from what initially seems complex and concerning.

In essence, Sharon Olds uses "Diagnosis" to explore a moment of misunderstanding transformed into an acceptance of individuality. Through humor and a light touch, the poem suggests that what may appear unusual or worrisome can often be a benign expression of personality. The narrative serves as a gentle reminder of the importance of embracing rather than fearing differences, celebrating the unique aspects of human nature that make each person distinct.

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