Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Widow's Walk, Somewhere Inland" is a poignant meditation on solitude, change, and the enduring nature of waiting. The poem explores the metaphorical and literal significance of a widow's walk—a platform atop a house where sailors' wives would watch for their husbands' return—transposed to a landlocked setting. This displacement emphasizes the isolation and longing experienced by the poem’s central figure, a woman whose life is defined by the departure of those she loves.

The poem opens with a vivid description of the house: "This landlocked house should grace a harbor: / its widow’s walk of grey pickets / surveys an inland sea / of grass." Here, Pastan juxtaposes the expected maritime setting of a widow’s walk with an inland, rural landscape. The "inland sea / of grass" creates a powerful image of an ocean of green, suggesting that even in the absence of water, the themes of waiting and longing associated with the sea are ever-present. The wind "breaks like surf against / its rough shingles," further reinforcing the maritime imagery and linking the woman’s experience to the rhythms of the sea, despite the absence of an actual coastline.

The poem then introduces the woman's family. "In summer the two grown sons / tie up here for a while," likening their visits to the temporary mooring of boats. This metaphor underscores the transient nature of their presence—they come and go, but they do not stay. The daughter, described as having "mermaid hair," evokes an image of a mythical creature of the sea, further blending the land and sea motifs. The daughter’s "legs / will soon be long enough / to carry her away," suggesting that she, too, will eventually leave, carried away by the currents of life, just as her brothers have.

The middle of the poem shifts to the woman’s introspective moments. She lies awake at night, watching "the fireflies bobbing / like ship’s lights" and "the bats / with their strict radar / patrolling the dark." These images evoke a sense of vigilance and waiting, as if the woman is constantly on watch, even in the inland setting. The fireflies, compared to ship’s lights, symbolize a distant hope or the fleeting presence of something she longs for. The bats, with their precise navigation, contrast with the woman’s own uncertain waiting, patrolling the dark where she feels lost or alone.

The poem then takes a more somber turn as it addresses the inevitable departure of the man: "The man will leave too, / one way or another, / sufficient as an old snail / carrying his small house / on his back." This image of the man as a snail suggests his self-sufficiency and the inevitability of his departure, whether through death or simply moving on. The snail’s house, small and portable, contrasts with the woman's house, which is stationary and tied to the land, reinforcing her rootedness and the likelihood that she will remain behind.

In the final stanza, the poem returns to the widow’s walk, where the woman "will remain, pacing." This image of pacing captures her restless waiting, a movement that is both futile and unending. At dusk, she picks "the milky flowers / that grow by the porch stair," placing them in the window. The flowers, with "each polished petal a star / for someone to steer home by," become symbols of her hope and her enduring love for those who have left. The stars, traditionally seen as navigational aids, suggest that despite her isolation, she still provides guidance and a beacon for those who may one day return.

"Widow's Walk, Somewhere Inland" is a deeply evocative poem that explores themes of waiting, departure, and the quiet strength of those left behind. Pastan masterfully blends the imagery of the sea with the landlocked setting, creating a powerful metaphor for the woman's emotional state. The poem captures the tension between movement and stillness, presence and absence, and the enduring hope that keeps the woman anchored even as those she loves drift away. Through this exploration, Pastan reflects on the resilience required to continue living in the face of loss and the passage of time.

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