Marianne Moore
Marianne Moore - form Summary
Acrostic Spells Virtues
This poem is built as an acrostic: the initial letters spell MARIANNE MOORE and each line pairs a hostile social condition with a corresponding personal virtue. The formal constraint focuses attention on ethical responses—courage, mercy, honesty, creativity—creating a compact moral portrait of Marianne Moore. The repeated pattern leads to a final exhortation toward integrity and individuality, suggesting steadiness and selfhood amid a corrupt, wavering world.
Read Complete AnalysesM in a vicious world-to love virtue A in a craven world-to have courage R in a treacherous world-to prove loyal I in a wavering world-to stand firm A in a cruel world-to show mercy N in a biased world-to act justly N in a shameless world-to live nobly E in a hateful world-to forgive M in a venal world-to be honest O in a heartless world-to be human O in a killing world-to create R in a sick world-to be whole E in an epoch of UNself-to be ONEself
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