Kristen Robinson
Professor Foote
ENGL 101:25
October 15th, 2020
The theme of love in James Wright’s “A Blessing.”
“A Blessing” by James Wright is a poem set in the fields located near the road where a farmer is keeping his horse. While the friends visit the horse I the pasture, they greet the horses warmly, and the horses are very friendly to them. The author describes the connection between them and the horses and describes a moment where the breeze insinuates them to touch the horse. Upon the horses’ touch, the author describes the ears of the horse as soft and tender as the feeling of touching the waist of a woman. The author is overwhelmed by the appearance of the horse and how loving they look. He compares the feeling to a blossom. He says, “That if I stepped out of my body, I would break into a blossom” (Wright, 23-24). The author attempts to explain the connection between the horse and him. The theme of the poem illustrates love and care.
In the third and fourth lines of the sonnet, the author describes the Indian ponies’ appearance. He says, and the eyes of the two Indian ponies, Darken with kindness” (3-4). The ponies are caring and gentle. The appearance of the ponies themselves shows no signs of anger or remorse. They are kind and innocent. The author uses this part of the poem to create an environment that best suits the sonnet’s theme. It is a gentle and kind environment with a peaceful atmosphere around the place; it represents the perfect scene of love and care. The field is compared to a place where there is no negative energy and the misfortunes of bad people and calming to the soul.
In the 10th and eleventh line of the sonnet, the author explains the good relationship between the ponies themselves and how they react when they cross the fence. He writes, “They bow shyly as wet swans. They love each other. There is no loneliness like theirs.”(10-11). The ponies are respectful. They are not afraid of the people who just crossed the fence towards them. The author describes the peaceful environment where there is no worry despite the strangers crossing the fence towards the ponies. The author uses this to describe a perfect environment for love and affection. Respect is all over the place as the ponies bow shyly. It is easy to respect others in a peaceful environment. The ponies care for each other, they love each other according to him, and there is not an element of any loneliness in the field. They walk and eat together. Wright describes one of them as a slender one; he likes the slender pony because she is loving and caring. He induces a moment where the pony walks to him and nuzzles his hand. He appreciates that the horse likes him, and he wants to improve the strength of the connection between them.
In the last section of the sonnet, James Wright continues to grow the affection between the slender horse, which he describes as black and white. As the breeze blows through the area, he is attracted to touch the horse. He caresses the long ear of the horse, and according to him, it is as tender as the feel of the waist of a woman. He writes, “And the light breeze moves me to caress her long ear. That is delicate as the skin over a girl’s wrist”. (20-21). The idea is that the pony reminds him of his close relationships with a woman and how it feels to touch her waist. He compares the feeling and experience to a blossom, which indicates love and connection between him and the horse. He writes, “Suddenly I realize. That if I stepped out of my body, I would break. Into blossom (22-24)
Works cited
Wright, James. ‘A Blessing.’ The Seagull Book of Poems, edited by Joseph Kelly, 4th ed., W. W. Norton, 2018, p. 366-367.