Triptych
TRIPTYCH
by scot siegel
1. Man
i am not a metaphor
but the instinct
that summons metaphor
2. Woman
i am not a metaphor
but the source
of all instinct
3. Child
i am part oak
part wildfire
only i can save myself
0 thoughts on “Triptych”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
A triptych (pronounced /ˈtrɪptɪk/ TRIP-tik, from the Greek Ï„Ïίπτυχο, from tri- “three” + ptychÄ“ “fold”) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and folded. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works. The middle panel is typically the largest and it is flanked by two smaller related works, although there are triptychs of equal-sized panels. [Wikipedia]
The triptych here is obviously Man, Woman, and Child but in the form of a poem. The impression i get is that Man is the progenitor of civilization and progress; Woman is the source of life and the impetus for our life instincts; and Child is the receptor of Man and Woman possessing the true ability to make meaning and purpose from the failings of Man and Woman. The Child has to become individual to truly ‘save’ themselves but at what point does the Child become Man or Woman in this vicious cycle. This is just a precursory stab in the dark and surely is oversimplified and overambitious in beating a confession out of a ‘riddle-esque’ poem–these are merely some of the things i think–that’s all. It’s a very good poem for pondering interconnectedness and all the ‘whys’ in life. Impressive!