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A poem that celebrates the beauty and complexity of human life and body, and questions the role of the spirit in creation. The speaker argues that the spirit is too blunt and unskilful to make a baby, and that instinct and habit are the real forces behind it.
A poem that explores the contrast between the perfection of the body and the messiness of the spirit in human beings. The speaker marvels at the biological complexity of a newborn baby and wonders how it could have been created by "indifferent" and "ignorant" processes.
Learn about Anne Stevenson's poem that explores the complexity of human creation and the limitations of the human spirit. Find a line-by-line breakdown, writer's methods, themes and ideas, and exam tips.
Feb 17, 2023 · The spirit is too blunt an instrument – metaphor; the first line is enjambed; Here, the speaker compares the mind to a blunt tool. In the first line itself, the poet has stated the theme of the poem: body-mind dualism.
Mar 16, 2023 · Learn how Anne Stevenson's poem explores the contrast between the body and the mind, using concrete and abstract diction. Discover the themes of creation, complexity, and emotion in this philosophical poem.
Aug 14, 2022 · Detailed analysis by Claire’s Notes of ‘The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument’ by Anne Stevenson Cambridge iGCSE: Songs of Ourselves Volume IV Please subscribe to Claire's Notes for...
Feb 11, 2024 · Analysis. In “The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument,” by Anne Stevenson, the speaker questions the spirit’s involvement in birthing while confronting the complex marvel of labor. The powerful opening line of the poem is “The spirit is too blunt an instrument to have made this baby.”
