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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Zen" by Laure-Anne Bosselaar is a vivid and sensuous exploration of intimacy, presence, and the beauty found in momentary observations. Through the journey of a single drop of water on a lover's body, Bosselaar captures the essence of Zen philosophy—focusing on the here and now, and finding depth in the seemingly mundane. The poem's meticulous attention to detail and its slow, deliberate pacing invite readers to engage fully with the present moment, echoing the principles of mindfulness and attentiveness that are central to Zen practice. The poem begins with a drop of water caught in the curl behind the left earlobe of the speaker's lover, setting the stage for an intimate and detailed observation. The drop's journey—swelling, quivering, falling onto the shoulder blade, and taking on the colors of adobe and hay—transforms an ordinary moment into a scene of delicate beauty and tension. Bosselaar's description of the drop's path along the body, including the "inverted crescent of the scapula" and "the brief tension of a muscle—or is it a tendon?"—highlights the speaker's focused attention and curiosity. As the lover shaves, every movement of the back is noted, emphasizing the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the human body. The drop's slow descent down the spine becomes a focal point for the speaker, turning a simple act of observation into an experience of heightened awareness and anticipation. The merging of another drop, causing the original to plump, swell, and quaver, further builds the tension and sensuality of the moment. The speaker's question to the lover, "Can't you feel it? Doesn't it tickle, tease," underscores the shared intimacy of the experience, blurring the lines between observer and participant. The drop's journey becomes a metaphor for the fleeting and ephemeral nature of moments of connection, urging both the speaker and the reader to savor the present. As the drop reaches the lover's loins, its path becomes more unpredictable, "leaking to the left, then lasciviously / stretches where your buttock rounds, firms." The anticipation builds until the speaker acts, catching the drop "with the hard, / upcurled / tip of my tongue." This final act of physical connection serves as a culmination of the poem's exploration of intimacy, presence, and the sensuousness of the moment. "Zen" masterfully uses the microcosm of a single drop of water to explore broader themes of mindfulness, connection, and the transient beauty of everyday experiences. Through Bosselaar's exquisite imagery and careful pacing, the poem becomes a meditation on the power of focused attention and the deep, often overlooked, pleasures found in the simplicity of the present moment.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MISERY AND SPLENDOR by ROBERT HASS THE APPLE TREES AT OLEMA by ROBERT HASS DOUBLE SONNET by ANTHONY HECHT CONDITIONS XXI by ESSEX HEMPHILL CALIFORNIA SORROW: MOUNTAIN VIEW by MARY KINZIE SUPERBIA: A TRIUMPH WITH NO TRAIN by MARY KINZIE COUNSEL TO UNREASON by LEONIE ADAMS TWENTY QUESTIONS by DAVID LEHMAN |
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