Carolyn Kizer Poetry

Carolyn Kizer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet, is celebrated for her sharp wit, keen observation, and commitment to feminist themes. Her poetry, marked by eloquence and a profound understanding of human nature, often delves into issues of gender, politics, and the complexities of personal relationships.

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A Muse of Water

‘A Muse of Water’ by Carolyn Kizer is a unique poem that places women as a force of nature, like water, that men attempt to control, redirect, and oppress.

Appearing in Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Carolyn Kizer’s collection of poetry, Cool, Calm, and Collected: Poems 1960-2000, ‘A Muse of Water’ is an exemplary piece that encircles largely the themes the poet often talked about. The themes of feminism, women’s role, women’s identity, men vs. women, and, last but not least, man vs. nature are featured in this commendable piece. What is more important is that the poet unsparingly weaves words to showcase how women, though being a significant force of nature, are bridled and chained to the unbridled wants of humankind.

We rose in mists and died in clouds

Or sank below the trammeled soil

To silent conduits underground,

Joining the blindfish, and the mole.

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