Review of: “Frida Kahlo to Diego,” or “the ways my body feels empty sometimes” by jamila woods10/2/2016 In the poem, “Frida Kahlo to Diego,” or “the ways my body feels empty sometimes,” poet Jamila Woods constructs an emotion inducing edifice of words, around the subjects of infertility, inadequacy, the unorthodoxy of love, use, and misuse. In it, she utilizes systems of phrasings like,
"i am a vased flower tricking bees smell sweet, no pollen treats uprooted but he keeps coming back smelling of other lilies Always," to relate the well formed idea that this relationship, as natural as it may be, is riddled by the woman’s inability to sustain and give life, despite her sex. She is a woman, and her appearance and aura parlay that message to all who find interest in her, but at the end of the day she cannot fulfill what some believe to be the greatest function of a woman, and that is to bear a child. However, despite her being barren her lover continues to return to her; when he does return, though, he smells of other women. From here, the poem continues to relate this idea that the woman, because of her being barren, is empty, emotionally and in ability. Woods states that the speaker “rattles,” as things do when they are empty, or few in content. She uses a metaphor to compare her reproductive organs to an apple without seeds, a burrowing connector without the ability to multiply. In this, her lover simply uses what is left of her, “making a canvas of her neck and crushing her into a feathered mattress,” rather than acknowledging what she lacks. The poem’s title, connects the speaker’s emptiness to the possibility of shared sentiments between famous artists, and lovers, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Kahlo, as was the speaker, was barren as the result of an accident; she often made the pain and emotional scarring that accompanied her miscarriages the subject of her art. Kahlo and Diego, too, were quite familiar with the act of adultery and the idea of infidelity, often engaging in affairs. These undeniable similarities tie the ideas of emptiness to the life and times of the artists seamlessly, in a well constructed allusion. For all the aforementioned reasons, and a host more, this poem has become one of my favorites. Jamila Woods paints a beautiful picture with each portion colored by a different emotion, a different circumstance, leaving the reader with a mural of representative images. Each time, it seems the image transforms. http://www.muzzlemagazine.com/jamila-woods.html
6 Comments
Malloree M
10/6/2016 08:16:51 am
Your analysis on this poem was very exquisite. I love the way you found the metaphors and how you explained them in detail. You did a very nice job on breaking apart the poem and seeing the big picture. Nice job!
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Alyssa
10/7/2016 05:27:11 am
This poem and your analysis were both fantastic. The poet really made me consider emotions and feelings I have never felt before. I like how you dissected the metaphors to understand their true meaning. It really encouraged me to consider something that is often not spoke about but pains many women.
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Eng
10/7/2016 06:30:42 am
Great analysis, Mya. Do you think the speaker is bothered by the feeling of being used and the infidelity? Or, because she is barren, she is possibly even grateful for love and attention? Because he "shakes her" to check on her, at the end of the poem, there is some confusion about their relationship. The connotation of shaking is certainly negative, but she then states that "we listen for the rattle," implying that they are, to a degree, committed. What do you think?
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Mya
10/7/2016 06:57:55 am
Using what I know of Frida Kahlo, and the speaker's obvious ties to Kahlo's life, I'd say that the most unsettling part of her reality is, in fact, her being barred from motherhood. I think that, in this scenario, it is easy to feel as though if you could bring a child into the world you would be able to tie all of the other loose ends of your relationships in life. A child's love would wholesome and undying, and thus it would be one that she has emotional ties to. I do feel that she loved her partner, but felt that the infidelity was a consequence of her shortcomings. I think that the "shaking" is making reference of their relationship, which has become more of an agreement. They listen for a rattle because he is listening for a reason to stay, and she is listening for a reason to have hope.
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Summer Taylor
10/7/2016 08:48:56 am
Awesome analysis throughout. I love how you found the metaphors in the poem and expounded upon them. Infidelity seen from other people's eyes is very interesting, especially Frida Kahlo's. I love how you did not belittle her work, seen as she is the most influential Mexican hero. You incorporated the emotional descriptions of her, good or bad, not leaving out a single detail. Great job!
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Niki Vemulapalli
10/8/2016 11:53:38 am
Its very interesting how you were able to bring in outside information about Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to give some context for your analysis. The way this poem talks about infertility really brings attention to the fact that there are many women who deal with this and that the emotions surrounding conception can really be damaging to a relationship.
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