From a Photograph

George Oppen

(1908-1984)

First, a comment from NYT art critic A. O. Scott:

"Poems aren’t pictures, but sometimes they try to make us see, and to make us feel in ways we might associate with acts of seeing. Some poems evoke the drama of famous paintings or the frozen beauty of Grecian urns. This one dwells on a more private image, a family snapshot, and on the elusive emotions and memories that live inside it."

From a Photograph

Her arms around me—child—

Around my head, hugging with her whole arms,

Whole arms as if I were a loved and native rock,

The apple in her hand—her apple and her father,

                   and my nose pressed

Hugely to the collar of her winter coat—There

                   in the photograph

It is the child who is the branch

We fall from, where would be bramble,

Brush, bramble in the young Winter

With its blowing snow she must have thought

Was ours to give to her.

You can listen to the poet recite his poem here.

Was this poem inspired by a real picture? This link will take you to it as the final note of the critic A. O. Scott's careful observations. (Note: you may need an NYT subscription.)