In the Desert
In the Desert - meaning Summary
Self-consuming Acceptance
The poem depicts a solitary, bestial figure eating his own heart and claiming it bitter yet inherently his. It presents a stark image of self-possession and painful honesty: the speaker asks for judgment, and the creature prefers what is true to him despite its unpleasantness. The short scene compresses themes of identity, suffering, and acceptance, suggesting a grim valuation of authenticity over comfort.
Read Complete AnalysesIn the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, "Is it good, friend?" "It is bitter -- bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter, And because it is my heart."
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