Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Donatello's Magdalene" offers a contemplative and evocative meditation on the famous 15th-century wood sculpture by the Renaissance artist Donatello, depicting Mary Magdalene. Through rich imagery and metaphor, Pastan explores themes of faith, suffering, and transformation, reflecting on the life and experience of the Magdalene as captured in this powerful work of art.

The poem begins with a stark description of the sculpture: "Old woman, enrobed in nothing but faith / and strands of chiseled hair." This opening immediately situates the reader in front of Donatello's Magdalene, a figure that is stripped of any worldly adornment and clothed only in her faith and the physical remnants of her once-vibrant self. The use of "chiseled hair" emphasizes the materiality of the sculpture, reminding us that this figure is both a representation of a saint and a creation of wood and craftsmanship.

Pastan then reflects on the origin of the wood used to create the sculpture: "the living tree once hid those gnarled limbs, that face / worn to its perfect bones which has seen everything." This line suggests a deep connection between the wood and the figure it now represents. The "living tree" that once flourished is now transformed into a depiction of a woman who has endured much, her body "worn to its perfect bones" by the hardships of life. The idea that this face "has seen everything" conveys the depth of experience and suffering that Mary Magdalene embodies, as well as the timeless wisdom that comes from such experiences.

The poem further delves into the transformation of the wood into the figure of Magdalene, describing her as a "Hag of articulate wood." The term "hag" here is not used pejoratively, but rather to convey the figure's age and the wisdom and suffering that accompany it. The wood itself is "articulate," suggesting that it speaks through the form that Donatello has given it, expressing the inner life and faith of the Magdalene.

Pastan then poses a series of questions to the figure, deepening the connection between the wood and the spiritual significance of the sculpture: "before Donatello found you how many leaves / did you watch detach themselves / from your twigged fingers, how many branches stripped and nailed / to make each crucifix?" These lines evoke the imagery of the tree from which the wood was taken, once alive and vibrant, now transformed into a figure of profound religious significance. The "leaves" that detached themselves can be seen as metaphors for the loss and stripping away of worldly attachments, while the "branches stripped and nailed / to make each crucifix" connect the material of the sculpture directly to the Christian narrative of sacrifice and redemption.

Through these questions, Pastan not only reflects on the creation of the sculpture but also on the suffering and sacrifice that are central to the story of Mary Magdalene and, more broadly, to Christian theology. The transformation from a living tree to a carved representation of a saint mirrors the spiritual transformation of Magdalene herself, who, according to tradition, went from being a sinner to a devout follower of Christ.

In "Donatello's Magdalene," Linda Pastan explores the deep spiritual and emotional resonance of Donatello's sculpture, using the materiality of the wood and the figure's stark appearance to meditate on themes of faith, suffering, and transformation. The poem invites readers to consider not only the craftsmanship involved in creating the sculpture but also the profound spiritual journey that it represents. Through her reflective and evocative language, Pastan captures the enduring power of this work of art and the story it tells of redemption and the strength of faith.

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