'Topography' by Sharon Olds
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After we flew across the country we
got in bed, laid our bodies
delicately together, like maps laid
face to face, East to West, my
San Francisco against your New York, your
Fire Island against my Sonoma, my
New Orleans deep in your Texas, your Idaho
bright on my Great Lakes, my Kansas
burning against your Kansas your Kansas
burning against my Kansas, your Eastern
Standard Time pressing into my
Pacific Time, my Mountain Time
beating against your Central Time, your
sun rising swiftly from the right my
sun rising swiftly from the left your
moon rising slowly form the left my
moon rising slowly form the right until
all four bodies of the sky
burn above us, sealing us together,
all our cities twin cities,
all our states united, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Submitted by Pey Solivan
Editor 1 Interpretation
Topography by Sharon Olds: A Detailed Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Sharon Olds' poem, Topography, is a powerful and moving piece of literature that captures the complexity of human emotions and the intricacy of human relationships. The poem is a journey into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in a world that can often seem chaotic and unforgiving. Through her use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and lyrical language, Olds creates a world that is both beautiful and haunting, a world that is both familiar and strange. This literary criticism and interpretation will explore the various themes and motifs in the poem, as well as the stylistic devices that Olds employs to create a work of art that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
The Themes of Love, Loss, and the Search for Meaning
At its core, Topography is a poem about love and loss. It is a poem that explores the complexity of human relationships, the way that love can both sustain and destroy us, the way that loss can shape us in ways that we never imagined. The poem is structured as a series of vignettes, each one capturing a moment in the speaker's life, a moment of love or loss or both. Through these vignettes, Olds explores the various facets of love and loss, from the exhilaration of new love to the pain of a broken heart, from the joy of a shared moment to the despair of loneliness.
One of the key themes of the poem is the search for meaning in a world that can often seem chaotic and unforgiving. The speaker is constantly searching for something, whether it is love or purpose or simply a sense of connection to the world around her. This search is reflected in the various images and metaphors that Olds employs throughout the poem, from the image of the "slowly moving tectonic plates" to the metaphor of the "starless night."
The Use of Vivid Imagery and Powerful Metaphors
One of the most striking aspects of Topography is Olds' use of vivid imagery and powerful metaphors. Throughout the poem, Olds creates a world that is both beautiful and haunting, a world that is full of wonder and mystery. The imagery in the poem is often stark and vivid, reflecting the intensity of the speaker's emotions. For example, in the first stanza, Olds writes:
"The narrow creek emptied into a wide, slow river. / Wet sandbanks slid or caved, the water / Sluggish, the sky leaden, the air / Clammy with the first cold rain."
This image of a wide, slow river, with its wet sandbanks and leaden sky, creates a sense of heaviness and melancholy, reflecting the speaker's feelings of loss and despair.
Olds also uses powerful metaphors throughout the poem to capture the complexity of human relationships. In the second stanza, she writes:
"The tectonic plates shifted imperceptibly, / The continents drifted, the rivers dried up, / The mountains heaved and cracked, but my lover / Never stirred from his sleep."
This metaphor of the shifting tectonic plates, the drifting continents, and the heaving mountains captures the way that relationships can change and evolve over time, even as the people in them remain unchanged. The image of the lover sleeping through all of this upheaval creates a sense of distance and detachment, highlighting the speaker's sense of loneliness and isolation.
The Lyrical Language and Narrative Structure
Another striking aspect of Topography is the lyrical language and narrative structure that Olds employs. The poem is structured as a series of vignettes, each one capturing a moment in the speaker's life. This structure creates a sense of movement and momentum, as the speaker moves through different phases of her life and different emotions.
Olds' use of language is also highly lyrical, with a musicality and cadence that adds to the poem's emotional resonance. For example, in the third stanza, she writes:
"We lay on our backs, our heads / Almost touching, our fingers / Twined, our feet touching, and we / Looked up at the sky, which was / The underside of the ocean, / Which was the underside of the sky."
This passage has a dreamlike quality to it, with its vivid imagery and mesmerizing language. The way that Olds conflates the sky and the ocean creates a sense of unity and connection, reflecting the speaker's feelings of love and intimacy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Topography is a powerful and moving poem that captures the complexity of human relationships and the search for meaning in a world that can often seem chaotic and unforgiving. Through her use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and lyrical language, Sharon Olds creates a world that is both beautiful and haunting, a world that is both familiar and strange. The poem is a journey into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in a way that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Topography: A Poem of Exploration and Discovery
Sharon Olds’ poem Topography is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores the themes of memory, identity, and the human experience. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Olds takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery, as she reflects on her past and the landscape of her life. In this analysis, we will explore the meaning and significance of Topography, and how it relates to the larger themes of Olds’ work.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a map of her childhood home, which she has kept for many years. The map is a physical representation of the landscape of her past, and it serves as a reminder of the memories and experiences that shaped her. The speaker describes the map in detail, noting the landmarks and features that are etched into her memory. She speaks of the “blue line of the creek,” the “brown line of the road,” and the “green square of the park,” all of which are familiar and comforting to her.
As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to explore the deeper meaning of the map and the landscape it represents. She reflects on the people and events that have shaped her life, and how they have left their mark on the landscape of her past. She speaks of the “houses where people lived and died,” and the “trees that were cut down for lumber.” These images are powerful reminders of the impermanence of life, and the ways in which we are all shaped by the events and people around us.
The speaker also reflects on her own identity, and how it is intertwined with the landscape of her past. She speaks of the “fields where I walked alone,” and the “streets where I ran with friends.” These images are a reminder of the ways in which our experiences shape who we are, and how we are connected to the world around us.
Throughout the poem, Olds uses vivid imagery and powerful language to create a sense of nostalgia and longing. The speaker longs for the past, for the people and places that are no longer there. She speaks of the “ghosts of the people I knew,” and the “echoes of their voices.” These images are a reminder of the ways in which our memories and experiences shape our lives, and how they continue to influence us long after they are gone.
At the same time, the poem is also a celebration of life and the human experience. The speaker speaks of the “sun on my face,” and the “wind in my hair,” reminding us of the simple pleasures of life that we often take for granted. She also speaks of the “laughter of children,” and the “songs of birds,” reminding us of the beauty and joy that surrounds us every day.
In many ways, Topography is a poem of exploration and discovery. The speaker is exploring the landscape of her past, and discovering the ways in which it has shaped her life. She is also discovering the beauty and complexity of the human experience, and the ways in which we are all connected to one another and to the world around us.
In conclusion, Topography is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of memory, identity, and the human experience. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Sharon Olds takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery, as she reflects on her past and the landscape of her life. The poem is a celebration of life and the human experience, reminding us of the beauty and joy that surrounds us every day. It is a masterpiece of modern poetry, and a testament to the power of language and the human spirit.
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