Moore Analysis

John Eseo
ENG 2000-02

The Theme of “Poetry”

In Marianne Moore’s “Poetry,” the speaker expresses her deep feelings on poetry. She resents poetry and does not find it enjoyable; however, she finds that poetry can be very useful or have its own type of importance and significance when done correctly. At the start of the poem, you can already sense her dislike in poetry. The speaker of the poem immediately expresses her bitterness towards poetry in the first line when she says, “I, too, dislike it: there are things that are more important beyond all this fiddle.” In this line, she refers poetry as “fiddle” and claims that there are more important things than the stereotypical subjects that poetry is usually written about. Although the dictionary’s definition of “fiddle” means the act of trying to falsify, the speaker uses the word very sarcastically and means that poetry is nonsense. The speaker also feels that some subjects in poetry can be too abstract for someone to understand. Because subjects can be too abstract, the speaker feels that poetry is just “fiddle.”
Poems that are “so derivative as to be become / unintelligible,” are what the speaker feels as abstract. She explains that “we do not admire” and appreciate the things “that we cannot understand.” The speaker also explains that “half-poets” are the ones who take on abstract subjects and use overly intellectual language making it difficult for readers and audiences to admire poetry or see that poetry is able to be very genuine. One flaw that the speaker explains is that poetry lacks genuineness. She insists poetry should be a product of both imagination and reality. A combination of both creates a poem of genuineness and true written artwork. This point is explained when the speaker mentions, “imaginary gardens with real toads in them.”
Poets and gardeners are both artists in their own different and unique ways. A poet’s craft is created with words, rhymes, diverse vocabulary, and prose. Poets use imagery and play with a reader’s senses so that the poem can be brought to life. Gardeners use a wide variety and assortment of flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other sun-soaking plants to create their piece of art. However, toads are usually viewed as an unpleasant animal or grimy and disgusting. The “real toads” in this poem represent the humanistic, yet messy issues, thoughts, and ideas.
What the speaker intends to convey is that poetry can be a beautiful, extravagant garden that we imagine in our minds as we read or write poetry; however, we shouldn’t stray from expressing the deep thoughts or ideas that we have inside our hearts and minds. This is what the speaker feels as poetry done correctly. When it is done correctly, the speaker discovers the significance, usefulness, and importance in poetry because it has a sense of artistic genuineness to it. “Poetry,” is a very interesting poem where the speaker chooses to express her resent for poetry but also her appreciation for it when poets include genuineness in it.