Mark Srand

I really enjoyed A blizzard in one by Mark Strand but i did not know how to go about writing something for my blog about it. So I decided to pick my top three favorite poems in this book and explaining their significance and depth.

"Old Man Leaves The Party"


"It was clear when I left the party
That though I was over eighty I still had
A beautiful body. The moon shone down as it will
On moments of deep introspection. The wind held its breath.
And look, somebody left a mirror leaning against a tree.
Making sure that I was alone, I took off my shirt.
The flowers of bear grass nodded their moonwashed heads.
I took off my pants and the magpies circled the redwoods.
Down in the valley the creaking river was flowing once more.
How strange that I should stand in the wilds alone with my body.
I know what you are thinking. I was like you once. But now
With so much before me, so many emerald trees, and
Weed-whitened fields, mountains and lakes, how could I not
Be only myself, this dream of flesh, from moment to moment?"



At first glance this poem seems to be the beginning of an acid trip story with a man leaving a party and taking off his clothes in the woods. However, he is actually describing the natural wonder that is the human body. He lays down the vivid, beautiful scenery in order to contrast the body. Even though this is an obviously perfect evening, the body of even an old man seems to transcend it suggesting just how amazing God's absolute creation is.