What does this poem mean?
AMOK by Fatima Lin wilson
He weaves his wife's limbs
With those of her startled lover's.
His sight grows dim as the flowered
Sheets darken. His ears pound with heart's Hooves, the hoots and footstomping
Of drinking mates who swear
They would do the same and worse.
The fat chickens fall. His child
Cocooning in his hammock and his mother Calling out the saints and his own holy name Slow motion into disarray, heaped toys. So, too, The grinning neighbor and his fenceposts. Amazingly, the knife gets lighter,
His limbs take on the grace of wings.
Blood petals into patterns, mapping
His rage up and down the street,
The hacking following the beat
Of her sandals sliding
Against the bamboo floor.
She tiptoes to hold onto him, humming,
Her waistlength hair swishing,
Awash in paper lantern light, caked blood.
He whispered the rhythm then:
"One, two, three, keep time with me,
Mahal." Just as he counts
Under his breath now, chasing after
The fading music, erratic, waltzing
With his fleeing shadow, still
Insisting, as he embraces, carves
The air, that he is in full control.
The poem "AMOK" by Fatima Lin Wilson depicts a scene of domestic violence and intense rage. It explores the mindset and actions of a man who becomes overwhelmed by jealousy and resorts to acts of violence. The poem is an embodiment of the concept of "amok," which refers to a state of frenzied and uncontrolled behavior.
To understand the meaning of the poem, it is important to analyze the imagery and the emotions conveyed by the words. The poet uses vivid descriptions to paint a picture of the situation. The man weaves together his wife's limbs with those of her lover, symbolizing his desire to control and possess her. There is a sense of darkness and chaos represented by the flowered sheets darkening, his sight growing dim, and the pounding of his heart's hooves.
The poem also touches on the reactions of others to this violent act. The man's drinking mates express their solidarity and claim they would do the same or worse. The chickens fall, symbolizing the destruction caused by his rage. His child's toys are heaped into disarray, emphasizing the disruption of a once-normal life. Even the grinning neighbor and his fenceposts are affected, showing the ripple effect of violence in a community.
The language used in the poem adds to the emotional intensity. The repetition of words like "blood," "limbs," and "hacking" creates a disturbing and brutal atmosphere. The mention of the mother calling out saints and his own holy name suggests conflicting feelings of guilt and righteousness.
Towards the end of the poem, there is a shift in tone. The man becomes detached from reality, as indicated by the imagery of his limbs taking on the grace of wings. His rage is mapped onto the streets, and he chases after a fading music that only he can hear. Despite the chaos and violence, the man still insists that he is in control.
Overall, "AMOK" explores themes of jealousy, possessiveness, violence, and the loss of control. It offers a harrowing glimpse into the mind of someone consumed by rage and shows the devastating impact of their actions on both themselves and those around them.