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“The Fig Tree” by Ruth Stone

2m 9s

“The Fig Tree” by Ruth Stone

In this episode, Amanda Holmes presents Ruth Stone's poem "The Fictory," selected by a friend who associates it with a childhood fig tree in Hawaii. The friend also references the Roman historical drama "I, Claudius," where poisoned figs are used in a plot against Augustus, linking the poem to themes of decay and political intrigue. Stone's poem vividly personifies the fig tree, describing its skin as "cool as a python's" and its trunk as "pale" and "sinewless," evoking an ancient, almost erotic presence. The tree "gathers light for the tiny ones" and "swaves" as insects pollinate it, blending natural imagery with a sense of timelessness and vulnerability. Holmes, an advocate for poetry, reads the work with a musical backdrop, emphasizing the poem's sensual and historical layers. She concludes by inviting listener engagement, encouraging submissions of favorite poems or comments via email or the American Scholar website. The episode underscores how poetry can connect personal memories, literature, and broader historical narratives, offering a brief but resonant reflection on nature, power, and decay.

Transcription

237 Words, 1315 Characters

English
[Music] My name is Amanda Holmes, and I think we all need more poetry in our lives. [Music] The American poet Ruth Stone produced 13 collections and served as poet laureate of Vermont from 2007 until her death in 2011 at the age of 96. She received several awards including a National Book Award and two Guggenheim fellowships. This week's poem, The Fictory, was suggested by a friend and fellow book club member who said it is one of her favourites. She writes, "We used to have a fig tree in our backyard in Hawaii." As Olivia said to Tyverius in the I-Claudia series, "Don't eat the figs." After she had painted them with poison the night before for Augustus to eat, the fall of Rome is ever present in my mind lately. So here it is, The Fictory by Ruth Stone. Old as the world, live and smooth, her skin cool as a pythons, embedded with her seeds. She gathers light for the tiny ones. How calm like a lover waiting in the garden. Her pale trunk, curving, sinewess, dripping her raw smell in the carnal air. She swaves while a thousand beating wings deflour her. [Music] Thank you for listening. If you have any comments or suggestions for poems you'd like me to read, we'd love to hear from you. You can send us an email at [email protected] or comment on our website, theamericanscolar.org. [Music]

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. Amanda Holmes introduces the poem "The Fictory" by Ruth Stone, a celebrated American poet and former Vermont poet laureate.
  2. The poem was suggested by a friend who recalls a fig tree in Hawaii, referencing a scene from "I, Claudius" where figs are poisoned.
  3. The poem personifies a fig tree, describing its ancient, sensual qualities and its interaction with light and insects.
  4. Holmes invites listeners to submit feedback or poem suggestions via email or website.

Summary:

In this episode, Amanda Holmes presents Ruth Stone's poem "The Fictory," selected by a friend who associates it with a childhood fig tree in Hawaii. The friend also references the Roman historical drama "I, Claudius," where poisoned figs are used in a plot against Augustus, linking the poem to themes of decay and political intrigue. Stone's poem vividly personifies the fig tree, describing its skin as "cool as a python's" and its trunk as "pale" and "sinewless," evoking an ancient, almost erotic presence.

The tree "gathers light for the tiny ones" and "swaves" as insects pollinate it, blending natural imagery with a sense of timelessness and vulnerability. Holmes, an advocate for poetry, reads the work with a musical backdrop, emphasizing the poem's sensual and historical layers. She concludes by inviting listener engagement, encouraging submissions of favorite poems or comments via email or the American Scholar website.

The episode underscores how poetry can connect personal memories, literature, and broader historical narratives, offering a brief but resonant reflection on nature, power, and decay.

FAQs

Ruth Stone was an American poet who produced 13 collections and served as poet laureate of Vermont from 2007 until her death in 2011 at age 96.

She received a National Book Award and two Guggenheim fellowships.

The poem featured is 'The Fictory' by Ruth Stone.

The poem was suggested by a friend and fellow book club member.

The poem describes a fig tree with vivid imagery, comparing its skin to a python's and focusing on its calm, sensual presence in the garden.

Listeners can email [email protected] or comment on the website theamericanscolar.org.

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Transcription

237 words