Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "White" is an exploration of the color white as a symbol that encompasses a wide range of experiences, emotions, and associations. Drawing inspiration from the painter Andrew Wyeth’s statement, the poem reflects on the multifaceted nature of white, capturing both its purity and its complexity.

The poem opens with a reference to "the bright spectrum of years," suggesting that white, though seemingly simple and pure, contains within it the fullness of life’s experiences. White "encompasses all colors," indicating that it is not the absence of color but a composite of all colors, much like how the experiences of a lifetime are diverse yet blend together into a singular narrative.

Pastan then begins to enumerate the various associations with the color white, starting with "the baby's milk days," which evokes the innocence and purity of early life. The image of "two breasts like hemispheres / of earth seen from far space" adds a cosmic dimension to this purity, suggesting that the nurturing and sustaining aspects of life are as fundamental and encompassing as the earth itself.

The poem then shifts to "the delight of sheets," which introduces an element of comfort and familiarity. However, this comfort is immediately juxtaposed with the "final sheet waiting / to cover the blank face," bringing in the theme of death and the inevitable end that awaits all life. The "final sheet" symbolizes the shroud that covers the dead, indicating that white is also the color of finality and closure.

Next, the poem touches on various other associations: "shells, bread, the moon / over the cold lake," each of which adds another layer to the symbolism of white. Shells suggest the natural beauty and fragility of life; bread, the basic sustenance; and the moon over a cold lake evokes both the serenity and isolation that can accompany moments of reflection. The coldness of the lake and the moon's pale light also suggest a sense of detachment or distance, perhaps from life or warmth.

The line "a sky packed tight with snow / like crowds held by roped barriers / that finally break" introduces a dynamic image of snow, white and abundant, overwhelming the landscape like a surge of people breaking free. This image captures the paradox of white as both contained and uncontrollable, mild and powerful.

The poem then contrasts "the mildness / of flesh" with "the brutalities of bone," reflecting on the dual nature of white as both soft and hard, gentle and severe. Flesh, associated with life and warmth, is contrasted with bone, which represents death and what remains after the flesh has decayed. This juxtaposition emphasizes the complexity of white as a symbol that encompasses both life and death, softness and harshness.

Finally, the poem concludes with "the bare page / demanding its poem," bringing the focus back to the act of creation. The white page, empty and full of potential, represents the beginning of the creative process, demanding that it be filled with words, with meaning. This final image encapsulates the idea that white is not just a color or a symbol but also a canvas, a space that invites and demands expression.

"White" by Linda Pastan is a meditation on the color white as a symbol of life’s fullness, capturing both its beauty and its contradictions. Through a series of vivid images, Pastan explores how white represents both beginnings and endings, purity and complexity, softness and severity. The poem suggests that white, in all its forms, is a color that holds the totality of life’s experiences, making it a fitting canvas for reflection and creation.

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