Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "A Bracelet of Bright Hair About the Bone," Linda Gregg explores the intertwining themes of love and death, imbuing the poem with a sense of intimacy and existential reflection. The poem's title itself, which evokes John Donne's famous elegy, sets the stage for a meditation on how the tangible and the eternal coexist in human relationships.

The poem opens with a striking image: "The Romans put skulls into their love poems." This sets a historical and cultural context where love is often juxtaposed with mortality, suggesting that the beauty of love is heightened against the backdrop of death. The speaker reflects on this tradition, noting how death and love are interwoven, much like "violet... against something black," emphasizing the contrast and interdependence of these themes.

The speaker's contemplation of death appears to bring her a peculiar kind of happiness, as she imagines "the newly dead body being lowered / into the coffin of the other." This morbid yet tender image illustrates her longing for a profound union with her lover, one that transcends life itself. However, the lover finds this idea "impressive but terrible," indicating a divergence in their perceptions of love and mortality.

The poem delves into the speaker's desire for her lover's understanding and approval. She seeks validation and a shared vision of the "hugeness of love." The lover's response, whispering that their bones would "be mixed together," seems to be a soothing gesture, perhaps intended to calm the speaker and provide comfort. This reassurance, though possibly pragmatic, allows the speaker to find contentment and peace, leading her to sleep "contentedly."

The speaker's yearning for a tangible enactment of their love underscores a desire for permanence and absoluteness. She wishes for something concrete, "as real as the table you / said your love was," which her lover describes as something she could "sit down to / and eat from if I wanted something permanent." This metaphor of the table represents a solid, everyday object that stands in stark contrast to the abstract nature of love. It symbolizes the lover's practical view of their relationship, one grounded in the physical and the present.

Yet, the speaker's desires are more expansive. She wants "absoluteness to be made of my heart," craving a love that is not just present but eternal and all-encompassing. This final line captures the essence of her longing for a love that transcends the ordinary and the ephemeral, one that is deeply rooted in the soul and the universe.

Gregg's poem is a poignant exploration of the tension between the physical and the metaphysical in love. It examines how we seek to anchor our deepest emotions in the tangible world while grappling with the inevitable reality of mortality. Through vivid imagery and introspective narrative, Gregg invites readers to reflect on their own perceptions of love, death, and the desire for permanence.

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