Who will be the Messenger of this Land
The first line of the poem repeats the title and sets the inquisitive tone of the poem. The narrator asks ‘’who’’ will be the person to stand up for the population which finds itself in a tough spot and for the natural world which is attacked every day and suffers as a result.
The messenger speaks ‘’through the veins’’, or rather comes from an environment which allows him or her to speak from experience about serious matters. The land is in danger of being taken away, the narrator mentioning the presence of people who want to divide and pack it in linen and parcels. This may be a reference made to the modern division of the land and how land became a good recognized by a state.
This division has a negative impact on the earth as it makes it forget ‘’to birth itself’’ or rather to regenerate. This is a dangerous idea as it suggests that the process of growth and recovery through which the planet goes through may one day stop as a result of the pollution and changes caused by mankind.
The only way through which the earth can continue living is through the stories told by representatives of every nation on this earth. They are named here ‘’messengers’’, the narrator thus showing the important role they play. The creative process is compared here with the act of wrapping a gift which will cause pleasure by reminding the future generations about the important events which took place in history.
These stories also have the purpose of reminding everyone of the atrocities which one took place and as such will serve as reminders and as a push for change. These events are described here as being "mutilated crops’’ which the earth will not be able to cover so easily because the seeds, or rather the descends of those who suffered will never cease to remember the past.
Wishing
The poem ‘’Wishing’’ is a sorter poem when compared with the others, having only ten short lines. Despite the shortness of the poem, it is filled with meaning and symbolism. The poem analyzes the true nature of happiness and the way in which other elements can destroy happiness. Lightness, rainbows and prayers are used here to symbolize happiness while razors and harsh hands are used to represent the elements which try to destroy happiness. Still, despite their attempts, the narrator assures the reader that destroying happiness is not something which can be easily achieved.
Paper Dolls
The poem is a poem about childhood through which the narrator lists the various things which made the narrator happy. The first element which is mentioned are ‘’tomato sandwiches’’ which the narrator membered eating as a child while visiting the grandmother.
The narrator describes the grandmother and the aunts in an extremely wholesome way, as occupying a large space both in the life of the narrator and in the physical space in the house. This may be a reference made to the feelings of love which the narrator feels every time she is in the presence of those women. Because of this love, the narrator fells as if she were a royalty, basking in the love of her relatives.
The world in which the narrator grew was an extremely idyllic one, the narrator even comparing herself with a doll living in a perfect dollhouse. Still, as she later admitted, there were secrets hidden from the plain view which, as the narrator grew up, could no longer ignore. The narrator agrees the mothers in were suffering and that the children were trying to mend what they saw as being broken. The healing process remains on the surface, just like a cloth can only hide what is visible to the naked eye.
I know the Grandmother one had Hands
The meditative poem mentioned above is used here as a way through which the narrator remembers her grandmother and the way in which the grandmother always appeared to be doing something, thus making her appear as if she had no hands. The activities described in the poem are linked with a domestic life and include making food, tending to the garden, making clothes, taking care of the house, taking care of the children and so on. The narrator describes the grandmother as always being on the move, always doing something and being busy.
Towards the end of the poem, the grandmother receives supernatural qualities, being given the power to part clouds and bring the rain. This may be a reference mad to her creative process or maybe to her ability to smooth out any pain and make those around her feel loved and cared for.
