This poem was originally written in Japanese and was later translated into English by Naoshi Koriyama and Edward Lueders. The poem captures the contradictions and complexities of the poet’s personal experience, combining elements of beauty, destruction, longing, and resilience.
Summary
‘When I Was Prettiest in My Life’ by Ibaragi Noriko is a unique poem that was inspired by the poet’s experiences during World War II.
In the first lines of this poem, the poet reflects on a period in her life when she considered herself to be at the height of her beauty. However, during this time, she witnesses the crumbling of cities and the loss of countless lives in factories, at sea, and on nameless islands.
The other people around her are consumed by military duty, leaving behind only their empty eyes, and the country experiences the devastating loss of the war. This leads the poet to question the truth of the situation as she walks through a town devoid of pride.
Amidst this turmoil, jazz music from a foreign land provides a brief respite, but the poet remains deeply unhappy, absurd, and profoundly lonely.
In response, she resolves to live a long life, much like Rouault of France (a very specific allusion), who created magnificent artwork in his old age.
Structure and Form
‘When I Was Prettiest in My Life’ by Ibaragi Noriko is a seven-stanza poem that is divided into sets of four lines, known as quatrains, and one final stanza of three lines (known as a tercet). The poem was originally written in Japanese and was later translated by Naoshi Koriyama and Edward Lueders. The translation means that many of the literary devices seen between are present because of the translation to English.
Literary Devices
In this poem, the poet makes use of a few different literary devices. For example:
- Juxtaposition: The poem employs the contrast between personal beauty and societal turmoil, as well as the contrast between external appearances and internal emotions, to highlight the complexities of the speaker’s experiences.
- Simile: The line “Feeling dizzy, as if I’d broken a resolve to quit smoking” employs a simile to compare the speaker’s feeling of dizziness to the breaking of a resolve to quit smoking, creating a vivid and relatable image.
- Symbolism: The crumbling cities and the blue sky appearing in unexpected places symbolize the destruction and upheaval caused by war, representing the larger societal turmoil.
- Irony: The poem employs irony to highlight the contrast between the speaker’s physical beauty and their inner unhappiness, absurdity, and loneliness.
Detailed Analysis
Stanza One
When I was prettiest in my life,
the cities crumbled down,
and the blue sky appeared
in the most unexpected places.
The first stanza of the poem, and the following stanzas, are all written as quatrains, or stanzas of four lines. The lines present a contrast between the speaker’s personal beauty and the crumbling of cities. The stanza begins with the speaker reflecting on a time when they considered themselves to be at the peak of their physical attractiveness. This suggests a period of youth or vitality in her life.
However, the stanza takes a sudden shift in tone as the speaker describes the cities crumbling down. This imagery implies a sense of destruction, chaos, and loss.
It could symbolize the breakdown of societal structures or the consequences of war or other calamities. It’s likely that here the poet is alluding to World War II and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Images that could relate to these events are seen throughout the rest of the poem.
The juxtaposition of personal beauty with the crumbling cities emphasizes the stark contrast between individual experiences and the larger events happening in the world.
The appearance of the blue sky, often associated with hope and freedom, creates a stark contrast (another example of juxtaposition) against the backdrop of destruction.
Stanzas Two and Three
When I was prettiest in my life,
(…)
I lost the chance to dress up like a girl should.When I was prettiest in my life,
(…)
They all went off to the front, leaving their beautiful eyes behind.
In the second stanza, the speaker reveals that while she was at her most attractive, many people around her were being killed. The use of the phrase “a lot of people” indicates a significant loss of life, suggesting the speaker’s proximity to violence or conflict.
This paints a very grim and disturbing picture of a society caught in the grip of destruction and loss. The stanza concludes with the speaker expressing a sense of personal loss, stating that they “lost the chance to dress up like a girl should.” This line suggests that the speaker’s youthful experiences and expressions of femininity were interrupted or denied due to the prevailing circumstances.
Later, the focus shifts to the absence of meaningful connections and gestures during this period. The speaker states that no men offered them thoughtful gifts, indicating a lack of romantic or affectionate gestures. Instead, the men around them only knew how to salute in a military fashion, highlighting their preoccupation with their duty or the war they were involved in.
The stanza concludes by noting that these men went off to the front, leaving their beautiful eyes behind. This line has a great deal of symbolism, conveying a poignant sense of loss and separation from the past.
Stanza Four
When I was prettiest in my life,
(…)
striding, with my sleeves rolled up, through the prideless town.
The fourth stanza uses the refrain, “When I was prettiest in my life,” once again. The juxtaposition of the speaker’s personal beauty with the country’s loss creates a powerful contrast between individual experiences and the larger collective experience of war.
The speaker’s response to this loss is captured in the line, “How can it be true?” This question expresses disbelief or shock at the reality of her country’s defeat. The loss is very hard to understand and even harder to handle.
Stanza Five
When I was prettiest in my life,
(…)
I devoured the sweet music of a foreign land.
The fifth stanza brings jazz music into the equation. Jazz music, known for its improvisation and vibrant rhythms, is often associated with freedom, expression, and a break from convention. Its presence suggests a temporary escape or diversion from the harsh realities surrounding the speaker’s war-torn country.
The speaker describes feeling dizzy, comparing this to the feeling of recently breaking the resolve to quit smoking. This simile implies a sense of indulgence or surrenders to a pleasurable sensation, despite prior intentions to resist.
Stanza Six
When I was prettiest in my life,
(…)
I was helplessly lonely.
The poet goes on, in this stanza, by saying that this was (again) the “prettiest” time in her life. But, it was also the time that she was the “most unhappy” and the most “lonely.” The poet’s assertions remind readers that there is a disconnect between appearance and emotional well-being.
It suggests that the speaker’s personal beauty did not equate to a sense of contentment or fulfillment. This realization challenges societal expectations.
Stanza Seven
Therefore I decided to live a long time, if I could,
(…)
who painted magnificent pictures in his old age.
The final stanza is a tercet or a set of three lines. This stanza is the only one that takes this particular form.
These wonderful concluding lines reveal the speaker’s resolution and her aspirations for the future. It conveys a sense of resilience and determination to live a fulfilling life despite the hardships and contradictions they have experienced.
The speaker then mentions old Rouault of France, an artist known for painting magnificent pictures in his old age. This reference serves as an example and inspiration for the speaker’s own aspirations.
It suggests that, like Rouault, who found creative fulfillment and produced remarkable works of art later in life, the speaker seeks to find purpose as she grows older.
FAQs
The main theme of the poem is the juxtaposition between personal beauty and societal turmoil and the disillusionment that arises from this contrast. The poem explores the speaker’s experiences during a time when they considered themselves to be at their physical best but also endured incredible unhappiness.
At the beginning of the poem, when the speaker is thinking about a time when she was considered prettiest, there is a wistful tone that suggests a fond remembrance of that period. However, as the poem progresses, the speaker’s emotions become more complex and nuanced.
The poet utilizes juxtaposition in ‘When I Was Prettiest in My Life’ to create contrasts and highlight the disparities between different elements in the poem. The poet juxtaposes the speaker’s sense of being at their prettiest with the crumbling of cities, loss of lives, and the impact of war.
Similar Poetry
Readers who enjoyed this poem should also consider reading some related poems. For example:
- ‘Beauty‘ by Edward Thomas – this poem contains the poet’s definition of what beauty is and how he encounters and experiences it in his life.
- ‘Let Us Be Midwives’ by Sadako Kurihara – is a powerful wartime poem that describes a few moments of despair and a few of hope in the aftermath of the atomic bombing.
- ‘November’ by William Stafford – is a heart-wrenching and important poem that was inspired by the WWII bombing of Hiroshima.
