Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Stanley Merwin's poem "Choice of Prides" is a contemplative exploration of pride, honor, and the motivations that drive human actions. The poem contrasts different forms of pride, questioning the authenticity of the emotions that guide us and ultimately reflecting on the value of maintaining integrity and humility in the face of inevitable challenges or downfalls.

The poem begins with an acknowledgment that "since fall we must," there might be a certain allure in falling with grandeur, with "honors and looped garlands," and with the approval of the crowd. This vision of pride is depicted as something spectacular and public, where one's fall is accompanied by "flattering sounds" and the dramatic "flights of arrows leaping like hounds." The imagery here suggests a traditional, almost heroic view of pride—one where pride is tied to public recognition, honor, and the external trappings of success.

However, Merwin quickly shifts focus, suggesting a different kind of pride: "But from a choice of prides I would pick (Or so I hope) the bare cheek / To amble out, innocent of arms / And alone, under the cocked guns." This second form of pride is quieter, more introspective, and devoid of the pomp and circumstance of the first. It is characterized by vulnerability and honesty, where the speaker chooses to face challenges without the armor of accolades or the protection of public approval.

The speaker's preference for this more naked form of pride is reflected in the lines, "Considering that, of every species (I should reason) mine is most naked, / For all its draperies enacting, / As a pink beast, its honest nature." Here, Merwin suggests that human beings, despite their outward appearances and societal roles ("all its draperies enacting"), are fundamentally exposed and vulnerable, "a pink beast" that is true to its "honest nature." This raw, unadorned state is where the speaker finds true pride—one that is not reliant on external validation but rather on internal integrity.

Merwin's reflection on pride is further deepened by the speaker's awareness of the potential pitfalls of such an attitude. The speaker hopes that their pride is "neat pride," untainted by "the veiled promptings / Of vanity, or by poverty, / Or the fecklessness of despair." This caution underscores the complexity of human motivation, acknowledging that what might seem like pure pride could, in fact, be influenced by less noble factors such as vanity, necessity, or desperation.

The poem concludes with a sense of hope and self-awareness: "And I should think myself twice lucky (Stuck with my choice) if I could be sure / That I had been egged on by nothing / But neat pride." This line encapsulates the tension between the desire to act from a place of pure integrity and the recognition of how difficult it is to achieve such clarity of motive. The speaker understands that while the ideal is to be driven by "neat pride" alone, the reality is that human actions are often influenced by a mix of complex, sometimes conflicting, emotions and circumstances.

"Choice of Prides" is a meditation on the nature of pride and the challenge of maintaining authenticity in the face of life's inevitable trials. Through his exploration of different forms of pride—one that is grand and public, the other quiet and introspective—Merwin invites readers to reflect on their own motivations and the ways in which they seek to uphold their integrity. The poem suggests that true pride is found not in external validation or the trappings of success but in the quiet, honest acknowledgment of one's own vulnerability and the courage to face challenges without pretense.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...