Section 1 > Exercise 1 > Foot Poem
In the previous pages we have seen pictorial representations that shed light on the expereince of understanding the anatomical body. In this part of the exercise, we have a poetic approach. You will see how a poem like this helps bridge the gap between art and science, and point to the many ways curiosity about who we are and what we are made of come together. Anser the study questions and proceed to the reflection.
C. "The Foot" by Alice Jones
Our improbable support, erected
on the osseus architecture
of the calcaneous, talus, cuboid,
navicular, cuneiforms, metatarsals,
phalanges, a plethora of hinges,
all strung together by gliding
tendons, covered by the pearly
plantar fascia, then fat-padded
to form the sole, humble surface
of our contact with earth.
Here's the body's broadest tendon
anchors the heel's fleshy base,
the finely wrinkled skin stretches
forward across the capillaried arch,
to the ball, a balance point.
A wide web of flexor tendons
And branched veins maps the dorsum,
Fades into the stub-laden bone
splay, the stuffed sausage sacks
of toes, each with a tuft
of proximal hairs to introduce
the distal nail, whose useless
curve remembers an ancestor,
The vanished creature's wild and necessary claw.
Courtesy of Alice Jones. This poem originally appeared in ZYZZYVA
Discussion questions
- What's going on in this poem?
- Look at these anatomical images of the foot (Courtesy David Klemm)
You can also link to the following sites:
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/illustrations/figure?id=445
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/illustrations/figure?id=444
Compare Alice Jones' poem to the anatomical representation.
Compare these representations with the poem's description. Is the poem accurate?
- How is the poem different from an anatomy text? How do the scientific/anatomical terms function in the poem? Does the poem transform the anatomical terms and elevate them to the level of poetry? Why or why not?
Link to Li Chiao-Ping: link to unit 3, pain and suffering |
