One of the parade of poems she published over the last week differed
from those that had preceded it in the specific use of the word, “me,”
indicating the close relationship between the poet and the speaker of the poem.
Like many of her previous poems, this one operates on
several levels, an extended metaphor that plays off spiritually but is more
down to earth than that on the most basic level.
It is unclear to whom she is speaking in this poem, perhaps announcing
the fact that she has allies on her side, who are there to protect her when she
can’t protect herself.
The poem essentially is an explanation of this protective
force, something that comes into place when she is too weary or for some other
reason, incapable of defending herself harm.
She is beyond doubt vigilant but admits there are times when
she is vulnerable. She uses the word “night,” yet this is likely a metaphor for
being alone, evoking an image of her lying on her back in bed as this force swarms
over her like a shield.
She doesn’t precisely say what this force is, but it is a
guardian that “takes over” when she is weak, when she can’t be “wary” for
herself.
She clearly feels the need to be on guard all of the time.
She does not say what she is guarding against, this unnamed threat against
which she hopes her guardian can “put up a good fight” on her behalf.
On the surface, the poem seems to be talking about a
spiritual protector, one or more guardian angels who stand guard over her when
she cannot fend for herself.
This is not a poem about salvation; it is about protection,
filling in during those times when she is too weak to fend for herself.
The word “aura” gives the poem an other-worldly feel, an
aspect of spirituality, swirling around her like spirits.
These are not demons or dark guardians like the Harry Potter
“Dementors,” but “whitely and bright” rather than dark, dedicated and loyal to
her, determined to help keep her safe.
But because she is
hoping they can put up a good fight, suggests they are not invincible. The poet
is putting faith in them that they can hold back evil from her at a time when
she is weak.
The poem, however, is not about spirits at all, but about
people – perhaps those selected people she has over time invited into her private
company, those who have come close to her, who have pledged their allegiance to
her, who hold her in the dark of night, who advise her in dealing with stalkers
and other evil being, people who offer her words of comfort when she needs them
most.
They are not super heroes or Gods, but merely beings trying
their best to keep her safe.
She does not say who they are, only that they sometimes “take
over at night,” or when she can’t be “as wary as she wants to be.”
In this poem, she takes comfort at having them in her life
at a time when she thinks she needs them most
The poem seems to describe them as angel-like, bright beings
that swirl around her. She does not use the word “angel,” although she uses the
word “divine” in the title suggesting there are.
The poem is curiously structured, using strong internal rhyming
in the opening such as “bright” and “fight,”
and in the ending with “night” and “fight’ near the closing, and a secondary rhyming
scheme within the body of the poem that includes “me,” “be” and “see,” which
serves as glue to tighten the poem yet avoids the rinky-dink of typical rhyming
verse.
In many ways, the poems comes off as a kind of chant,
calling on these loyal spirits, these good Samaritans, to come to her aid at need,
a spell chanted to ward off the evil spirits who would do her harm when she is
too weak or weary to ward them off for herself.
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