‘Lepidoptera’ is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged poem written by Richard De Zoysa. The title, which refers to the scientific name for the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths, sets the tone for the poem’s focus on the mind’s fragility and the fleeting nature of happiness.
Through vivid and evocative imagery, Zoysa explores the impact of mental illness on individuals and society, emphasizing the importance of compassion and understanding. The poem’s structure and use of metaphor further reinforce its powerful message, making it a poignant and memorable work.
Summary
The poem ‘Lepidoptera‘ by Richard De Zoysa is a metaphorical representation of mental illness, likened to a broken butterfly wing.
The narrator describes how the mind, represented by the butterfly, enters their schoolroom and fails to function properly before ultimately dying. The narrator feels powerless to revive the mind, despite their desire for so-doing.
The butterfly’s only response to stimuli is the reflexive twitching of its feelers, which the narrator finds sentimental. However, the passing of time eventually takes the butterfly away from the narrator’s classroom and into oblivion, carried away by ants.
The poem ends with a farewell to the butterfly, described as “lovely,” and a criticism of the state for its treatment of fragile individuals. The state’s idea of progress is seen as a heavy-footed approach that fails to appreciate fragility. The narrator suggests that the state should preserve the butterfly as a specimen behind glass, akin to how society views educated individuals as specimens for admiration from a distance.
Structure and Form
The poem ‘Lepidoptera’ by Richard De Zoysa is structured as a free verse poem with no discernible rhyme scheme. It consists of three stanzas made up of fifteen lines.
The first two lines set the tone of the poem and establish the metaphorical representation of the mind as a butterfly with a broken wing. The third and fourth lines emphasize the helplessness of the narrator in trying to revive the butterfly/mind, while the fifth and sixth lines contrast the butterfly’s sentimental qualities with its ultimate fate of being carried away by time.
The eleventh line bids farewell to the butterfly/mind, while the final line serves as a critique of society’s treatment of fragile individuals. The form of the poem is sparse and minimalist, and each line was carefully chosen to convey the poem’s themes.
The poem’s title, ‘Lepidoptera,’ is the scientific name for the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. This scientific name emphasizes the poem’s use of metaphor and the importance of the butterfly as a symbol.
The poem’s structure is also notable for its use of enjambment, where the lines flow into each other without a pause, creating a sense of continuity and fluidity. This technique is particularly effective in conveying the fleeting nature of the butterfly/mind’s presence.
Themes
In the poem ‘Lepidoptera,’ Richard De Zoysa addresses several themes, including the fragility of the mind, the powerlessness of individuals in the face of time, and the societal treatment of vulnerable individuals.
The fragility of the mind is a key theme in the poem, and it is represented by the butterfly with a broken wing. The narrator describes how the mind fluttered into their schoolroom, failed, and ultimately died, highlighting the vulnerability and precariousness of mental health. The butterfly’s inability to be revived also emphasizes the delicate nature of the mind.
Another theme in the poem is the powerlessness of individuals in the face of time. The passing of time is personified as “the ants of time,” which carry the butterfly/mind away from the narrator’s classroom and into oblivion. This personification serves to underscore the inevitability of time’s passing and the inability of individuals to halt its progress.
The societal treatment of vulnerable individuals is also a theme in the poem. “The heavy-footed State,” which represents society, is criticized for its treatment of fragile individuals. The State’s notion of progress is seen as misguided and lacking in compassion, with its treatment of vulnerable individuals likened to pinning a butterfly to cardboard behind glass. This critique highlights the importance of treating vulnerable individuals with empathy and care.
Finally, the poem also explores the theme of sentimentality and the beauty of small things. The narrator finds occasional small rapture at the butterfly’s “velvet softness and smoothness” despite its fragility. This theme serves to emphasize the importance of appreciating small pleasures and finding beauty in unexpected places.
Detailed Analysis
Stanza One
On broken butterfly wing, your crippled mind
fluttered into my schoolroom. Failed. And died.
I couldn’t do a thing to stir its organs
of poor maimed sense to life again.
In the first stanza of the poem ‘Lepidoptera,’ Richard De Zoysa uses vivid imagery to convey the fragile nature of the human mind. The metaphor of the butterfly with a broken wing serves as a powerful symbol for the damaged state of mind. The use of the adjective “crippled” further emphasizes the vulnerability of the mind, while the verb “fluttered” suggests a lack of control or direction.
The phrase “failed. And died.” is particularly poignant, as it highlights the devastating impact that mental illness can have on a person. The use of the full stop between the two phrases serves to emphasize the finality of the butterfly/mind’s demise.
The narrator’s admission that they “couldn’t do a thing to stir its organs” conveys a sense of powerlessness in the face of mental illness. The word “organs” suggests a mechanical or physical aspect of the mind, further emphasizing the scientific and medical nature of mental health.
The phrase “of poor maimed sense” conveys a sense of pity and empathy for the butterfly/mind’s plight, while the poet’s use of the word “maimed” implies some sense of violence or harm. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the damaging impact that societal expectations and pressures can have on a person’s mental health.
Stanza Two
Only sensation. Reflex twitch
(…)
into oblivion.
In the second stanza of ‘Lepidoptera,’ Richard De Zoysa continues to use vivid imagery to convey the sense of loss and transience. The use of the phrase “Only sensation. Reflex twitch” suggests a sense of limited functionality, as though the butterfly/mind is barely holding on to life. The alliteration of the “s” sound adds to the delicate and fragile tone of the poem.
The narrator’s admission that they feel “sentiment” towards the butterfly/mind suggests a sense of emotional attachment or empathy. The use of the phrase “Occasional small rapture” conveys a sense of fleeting joy or happiness, as though the narrator’s feelings are tempered by the awareness of the butterfly/mind’s limitations.
The use of the adjectives “velvet softness and smoothness” serves to further emphasize the fragility and delicacy of the butterfly/mind. The contrast between the softness of the butterfly and the harsh reality of the world around it creates a sense of poignancy and sadness.
The stanza’s last two lines depict time passing and death’s certainty. The metaphor “ants of time” conveys decay and consumption as the butterfly/mind fades away. “Chalk and Chaucer” implies academic progress and knowledge. However, the final line suggests that such knowledge and progress become meaningless when faced with death.
In short, the poet’s message in the second stanza of ‘Lepidoptera‘ highlights life’s transience and fragility. Through vibrant imagery and metaphors, the poet underscores the fleeting nature of happiness and death’s inevitability. The narrator’s emotional attachment and empathy highlight the significance of understanding and compassion in the face of mental illness and life’s challenges.
Stanza Three
Farewell, lovely.
(…)
specimen of the educated class.
The final stanza of ‘Lepidoptera‘ serves as a commentary on society’s treatment of those deemed different or vulnerable. The phrase “Farewell, lovely” creates a sense of finality and loss, as though the narrator is bidding goodbye to something beautiful but ultimately destroyed.
The reference to the “heavy-footed State” suggests a sense of bureaucracy and impersonal authority, which the poet contrasts with the delicate and fragile butterfly/mind. The phrase “made a mess of your fragility” suggests that society’s attempts to help or control those vulnerable often end up causing more harm than good.
The poet’s use of the term “progress” is ironic, as it suggests that the State’s actions should be for the betterment of society. However, the final two lines imply that this so-called progress is a way of preserving and displaying the butterfly/mind as a curiosity for the educated elite. The use of the word “specimen” reinforces this sense of objectification and dehumanization.
Poetic Techniques and Figurative Language
Richard De Zoysa uses several poetic techniques and figurative language in ‘Lepidoptera‘ to convey his message.
- Metaphor: Firstly, he uses metaphor to compare the butterfly to the human mind, emphasizing its fragility and transience. This metaphor is particularly effective in the second stanza, where he describes the butterfly/mind being consumed by the “ants of time.”
- Enjambment: Zoysa also uses enjambment, where lines flow into each other without pause, to create a sense of continuity and fluidity. This technique helps to convey the fleeting nature of the butterfly/mind’s presence, as seen in lines like “the light/ that flutters through your mind/ has wings.”
- Alliteration and Assonance: the repetition of the ‘l’ sound in “lovely, life, Lepidoptera” adds musicality and emphasis to the poem.
- Imagery: Zoysa also makes use of imagery, particularly in the second stanza, where he references the “chalk and Chaucer” of academia, creating a sense of the pursuit of knowledge and progress. However, the final line suggests that even this knowledge is ultimately meaningless in the face of death.
- Personification: De Zoysa employs personification in the third stanza, where he describes society’s attempts to help or control the vulnerable as being “hard and callous.” This personification adds a sense of agency and intentionality to society’s actions.
- Symbolism: the poet has used this technique, particularly in the title of the poem ‘Lepidoptera.’ Being the scientific name for butterflies and moths, he intends to suggest the importance of the butterfly as a symbol of the fragility of the mind. This use of symbolism is meant to emphasize the underlying themes of the poem and reinforces its message.
FAQs
It seems likely that the inspiration behind ‘Lepidoptera‘ was a reflection on the vulnerability of the human mind and the ways in which society can be unsympathetic to those who are different or disabled. The use of the butterfly as a metaphor for the mind suggests a delicate and fragile nature, while the final stanza implies criticism of society’s tendency to objectify and dehumanize those who do not fit into societal norms.
‘Lepidoptera‘ by Richard De Zoysa conveys a message about the vulnerability and fragility of the human mind, using the metaphor of a broken butterfly wing. The poem suggests that society often fails to support those who are disabled or different and that this lack of understanding and compassion can lead to a sense of isolation and despair.
In ‘Lepidoptera,’ the narrator is not explicitly addressing any specific individual. Rather, the poem uses the metaphor of a broken butterfly wing to comment on the broader human experience, particularly the ways in which society can fail to support those who are disabled or different. While the poem is written in the second person (“your crippled mind fluttered into my schoolroom”), this is likely intended as a rhetorical device to make the reader feel more directly engaged with the poem’s themes and messages rather than as a direct address to a particular person or group.
Similar Poetry
Those who have enjoyed this poem by Richard De Zoysa may get interested in reading the following other poems:
- ‘Animal Crackers‘ by Richard De Zoysa – It describes the political situation in Sir Lanka through the drawing of symbolic animals
- ‘The Minuet‘ by Mary Mapes Dodge – This poem alludes to the many changes that the passage of time presents.
- ‘The Machinist, Teaching His Daughter to Play the Piano‘ by B.H. Fairchild – is a free verse poem about how the creative process can connect a father and daughter.
