Elizabeth Bishop concludes her poem “One Art” by writing, “It is evident the art and science of losing’s not too difficult / though that may seem like… tragedy.” Although there are many symbolic and literal forms of loss in “One Art,” the one that stands out most in Bishop’s poetry, it is the loss time. Both “In the Waiting Room” (and “At the Fishhouses”) show the connection between personal growth and the passing of time. This essay will examine the many ways Bishop uses imagery over time to show maturity and growth.
Although these poems were published first in 1947, “At Fishhouses” uses imagery similar to that of “In the Waiting Room” in which it depicts seasons and age. The poems begin in a similar fashion. The speaker of “At Fishhouses” says “Although It is Cold Evening, / Down by One of the Fishhouses / An Old Man Sits Netting,” which suggests winter, the season that is death. The image of an elderly man out in cold reiterates this. The speaker of The Waiting Room is a young Bishop. She begins her speech by speaking very plainly about her surroundings. It was dark early. It got dark / early. Her narrative shifts quickly between childhood and adulthood. This gives the reader a strong sense her childish stream and the desire to be free from the waiting room. . . “Back, behind and begin / the dignified firs tall.” They are a result of seedlings. The fact that they are both metaphorically and literally behind the speaker suggests that the trees are much older than them. The description of water is similar in tone to the last stanza “In the waiting room,” when Elizabeth states “Outside” that “…were night, slush, and cold/and it was still the fifth/of February 1918.” Although she is six years old, she is aware of the growth, being, understanding, and understanding of adults. The “At The Fishhouses’ line suggests that Elizabeth is in control of her life. But the “In the Waiting Room”, last line represents a return to reality.
The most striking difference between the poems is their childishness. The main difference between the poems is the presence of childishness. In “In The Waiting Room,” Elizabeth, young, moves between childhood and adulthood using her language. First, she notes how long it has taken her to find her aunt. Then, in childlike fashion, she tells the reader that her memories of moving her eyes from the science section with the volcano, to the section with horses, to the culture section with naked women leads her to be shocked into adulthood by images of a new world. Her aunt’s voice is heard as she urges her into becoming a woman immediately after she has seen the picture of the woman with her “horrifying breasts”.
Young Elizabeth cannot accept the fact that “At the Fishhouses”, a world-wide acceptance of her role, was established years later. While she was certain that nothing would happen, or that anything could be stranger, she thinks back to her childhood and contemplates her future birthday. However, this momentous change ultimately has a lasting impression: she can’t help but wonder how it happened that she would become a woman. The adult speaker of “At the Fishhouses”, although she may not be capable of answering this question, does illustrate the fact that something holds us all together, and that adulthood is something that must be accepted.
“In the Waiting Room” as well as “At the Fishhouses”, both show the link between personal growth and the passage of time. The first shows how this connection can be temporary, while the second shows how it can eventually be accepted. Although they may have different perspectives, both examine the many ways Bishop uses imagery in poetry to show growth and maturity.
