The Splendid Body

Dear Rebecca Lindenberg,

One day while trying to start a school assignment regarding poetry, I found "The Splendid Body." I was searching through Poets.org and categorized the poetry by using the "existentialist" theme. "The Splendid Body" stuck out to me, as it felt as though the surrounding poems were titled with the purpose of having to be deciphered. Your poem, on the other hand, felt straightforward, yet laced with ambiguity. Because of this, it intrigued me--what does this (or my own) body entail for it to be splendid?

What attracts me to "The Splendid Body" is the initial universal address that is used, which transitions into a second person address (poem of address). It gives the effect of


showing that all of humanity has a body, but the shift in the address makes the poem feel more personal. I feel as though the poem is directly listing off my own life experiences as it concludes. Alongside this, the sensory details, such as "keeps its steamy blood in, no matter / how much it blushes"  (lines 16-17), provide great examples of why our bodies are so splendid--they can endure physical and emotional impact.

As I read, "The Splendid Body," I wondered if the examples of why our bodies are splendid were related to your own experiences, or had it been primarily observation based. I had also wondered as well as being categorized as existentialist, "The Splendid Body" could also be hopeful.

To bring an end to my letter, I would like to say thank you for the casually inspiring words of "The Splendid Body." From now on, I will refer to your poem as a reference of why I must treat my body with gratitude.

Sincerely,

Jaspreet Singh

A high schooler

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