Alda Merini, with her poem “Pain is in the air”, drags us into a vortex of palpable and profound emotions, outlining the portrait of a loss and the pain that follows. Through a language full of evocative images and intense metaphors, Merini explores the universal theme of separation and nostalgia for what can no longer be.
The poem begins with a powerful statement: “Pain is in the air.” This immediately affirms the omnipresence of pain, something so pervasive that the lyrical self “breathes” it every time it thinks of the lost beloved. This painful breath marks every memory, every thought addressed to the loved one.
The poet expresses the desire for support, a constant presence that could be a “strong support” in moments of weakness. Here, the image of arms becoming shores evokes a security and comfort that is now sorely missing. There is regret for a “tomorrow” that can never be lived together, a future that the lyrical self would have liked to be “confident” and peaceful.
The beloved is described as a “wanted, sought-after flower”, a symbol of beauty and desire that now appears “distant”, “faded by false illusions and ghost dances”. These images allude to change, to the deterioration of the relationship caused by deception and a sense of unreality that has taken over the sincerity of the initial feelings.
The poetic voice describes itself as abandoned and wounded, “with a blade in its heart”, an acute and deep pain that manifests itself as it observes the other “leaping in the dark”. This image of the leap into the dark could symbolize a risky or self-destructive life choice of the beloved, a choice from which the lyrical self feels powerless to save.
The ending of the poem is particularly touching. Despite the desperate desire for connection, the “tears” of the lyrical self remain unheard, lost in the “noise” surrounding the other. The observation that “tears make no noise” underlines a sense of loneliness and profound incomprehension.
“Pain is in the air” by Alda Merini is a poem that touches the soul, leaving the reader wrapped in a cloak of sadness and understanding for the universal pain of loss. Merini, with her ability to shape words, transforms the personal into the universal, making her poetry a refuge for anyone who has ever experienced heartache.
Pain is in the air by Alda Merini
Pain is in the air,
I breathe it every time the thought falls on you,
I would have liked your arms to become strong banks to lean on when my journey became slow.
I would have liked to trust your tomorrow, letting myself be lulled by memories…
You were the desired flower, searched for now so far..
faded by false illusions and ghost dances,
lying masks ready to deceive your time and your mind.
And I remain here… with a blade in my heart
watching your leap into the dark
My hands can’t reach you
Too many lights that dazzle you..
too much noise around you…
you can’t hear my tears…
because tears don’t make a noise…
Alda Merini
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