Analysis of the poem “The Blue Bowl” by Jane Kenyon
Jane Kenyon’s poem “The Blue Bowl” is a short but strong work, representing the feelings about loss and death. Initially, it seems to be quite a simple and explicit poem, as the author tells us about the death of a cat in the first line:
with his bowl.” (Kenyon)
However, with further reading and restating the poem, we realize that it has a much deeper sense. It is filled with symbols, which show us the inevitability of death. The title of the poem is a clear evidence that the blue bowl is a symbol, which must be explained later.
Kenyon begins the poem with the description of burying ritual, which helped the owners to honor the pet for the last time. It might seem weird for people, who have never owned a cat. Nevertheless, the owners dug the grave bare-handed, which makes us understand how much they loved the cat. The author describes the beautiful pet with love, giving the details of his fascinating appearance:
“ his long red fur, the white feathers
that grew between his toes, and his
long, not to say aquiline, nose.” (Kenyon)
Yet, the inexorable death does not spare even the most beautiful and comes unexpectedly. Moreover, the cat is buried with its blue bowl, which reminds ancient rituals of burying the dead with their possessions. The blue color of the bowl is quite depressing, representing the sorrow. The author admits that there are grieves keener than the death of a cat, even though the tone and the mood of the poem does not change, remaining suppressing and pitiful.
The owners of the cat have to return to their daily routine, just as it happens in life. The author tried to prove the point that no matter how tragic the loss is, we still need to go back to normal life, working, staring and sleeping as usual. It was storming all night, but in the morning, the sky clears. This is a symbol of accepting the natural process of life, as we can recover even from the most sever tragedy, bearing the mourning deep in our hearts. Even if the storm clears, and we go back to the usual lifestyle, the imprint of the encounter with death will shadow our lives. The burbling robin is a symbol of cheerful and brisk life that flows around us, indifferent to our worries. We accept it and try to fit in, but the reminding of the loss will sometimes make us feel like it is inappropriate to live normally after a death or our loved ones. The author makes an accurate simile, which states this point:
“ and a robin
burbles from a dripping bush
like the neighbor who means well
but always says the wrong thing.” (Kenyon)
The language of the poem is quite descriptive, using many adjectives and similes while describing the cat and the feelings about its death. The tone remains steady during the reading, as within the whole poem the author mourns the loss of its pet. Kenyon shows that death always affects us, in spite of who had died. We will always remember those who left us, but it is very important to accept the death as a natural process and learn how to go on with our lives.
Works Cited
Kenyon, Jane. “The Blue Bowl”. Collected Poems. Graywolf Press, 2005.
