Cathy Song's Poem "Girl Powdering Her Neck"
Cathy Song wrote the poem "Girl Powdering Her Neck," which was inspired by a Ukiyo-e painting by Utamaro. It tells the story of a girl in the painting, beginning with her entry into the bathroom and continuing with her behavior. A pair of slippers can be found outside the toilet. When she bathes, her body absorbs vapor, and she finds a mirror in front of which she kneels to admire her appearance. She is attempting to make herself more beautiful and attractive; as a Japanese Geisha, she must maintain a respectable presence while providing gratification to others. She tries to make her skin soft in order to be pleasurable since the whole of herself is objectified.
The Position of the Female Gender in a Capitalist Society
The cloth she is putting on is revealing her neck nape and shoulder curves. She is also uncovering most parts of her body to remain appealing and seductive to the male gender whom she works towards satisfying. She is from a poor background, and as such is made to choose such an unbearable occupation. Throughout the poem, readers are informed that the girl is silent. However, she tries to open her mouth for the first time. All over sudden she shuts up; she knows that revealing herself and the type of job she does will make the whole society socially exploit her. Cathy Song presents the position of the female gender in a capitalist society; she is exploited but cannot turn to anyone since this can result in more social exploitation. It is also clear that no one can live a double life; if the girl is to choose the professional life, she must forget her social life by remaining silent.
Language and Syntax in the Poem
The language used by the speaker in the poem is effective in presenting its themes and meaning. Throughout the poem, events are described in the present tense, giving the reader a sense of immediacy or occurrence of situations in motion. In the second stanza, for instance, the speaker states, "She kneels at a low table / in the room, / her legs folded beneath her / as she sits on a buckwheat pillow" (Stanza 2, lines 8-12). The speaker describes the Geisha's actions after leaving the bathroom. She heads to the low table where she sits on the buckwheat pillow. This improves the reader's certainty towards the words of the speaker. The author also utilizes a third person perspective to describe the woman in the image; in many instances, she refers to the Geisha as "she" and "her." This language element shows that she is not directly involved in the events revealed, and that the story is about another individual whom the reader can relate to.The syntax that is presented in the poem also enhances the understanding of the readers. The punctuations that the speaker adopts are very regular; they have been placed where they ought to be, and are moderated throughout the stanzas. In the third stanza, it is stated, "Her hair is black / with hints of red, / the color of seaweed / spread over rocks" (Stanza 3, lines 12-14). Although the sentence above is presented in four lines, there are only 2 punctuation marks, a comma and a full stop at the end. This was only included where necessary, and as such, gives readers an easy reading experience that aids in understanding the poem.
Figurative Language in the Poem
The poem employs various figurative language elements that the speaker uses to make the reading interesting. An evident element is similes, which have been used to compare the girl described with nature and other objects. In stanza 4, the speaker narrates the way the Geisha is dressed using a simile. She states, "and the curve of a shoulder / like the slope of a hill / set deep in snow in a country / of huge white solemn birds" (Stanza 5, lines 30-33). The speaker illustrates that the kimono that the girl has worn covers her body like a slope of a hill. This description enables the reader to imagine how aligned the dress was with her body. In addition, imagery has also been utilized in the poem. A significant imagery is the "two chrysanthemums" described in the poem. The speaker states, "Two chrysanthemums / touch in the middle of the lake / and drift apart" (lines 50-52). The author mentions chrysanthemums to mean the two lips of the Geisha whom she used to attempt to speak out her mind and true feeling of her profession. Although they were opened to utter words, they later drifted away in silence; this is, thus, presented as the chrysanthemums that touch in the middle but later drift apart.
The Effectiveness of the Poem
The poem appears to be effective to the readers who attempt to understand the meaning. First, the language utilized by the speaker is easy to understand. The sentences flow regularly with simple punctuation marks to enhance the reading experience. In addition to this, the imagery in the poem which shows the girl described enhances the understanding of the readers. By observing a slender, beautiful woman reflected in the mirror, they are able to relate to her experience, dressing, and perception of life and of herself. Using figurative language has also enhanced the effectiveness of the poem to the readers; similes, for instance, enable a speaker to compare the events in a poem with other objects that readers can easily relate to. As such, it becomes clearer to understand the situation of the girl in the poem by using various language elements.
Relevance to Human Experience
The poem is relevant to the human experience in the past and contemporary society. Through the narrated story, I can imagine and understand the position of women in society. In most patriarchal settings, women have always been objectified, having less opportunity in the economic world compared to men. For those who struggle to attain their independence, they have to sacrifice themselves for unworthy jobs such as prostitution in order to make a living. I have witnessed this many times as women work as prostitutes or towards impressing men in order to climb the economic ladder. With feminism, I am confident that this situation is slowly changing.
