The Pomegranate: Themes & Linking Poems

“The Pomegranate”: Themes

“the only legend I have ever loved is the story of a daughter lost in hell”: Boland illustrates her connection to the Persephone myth, identifying both with the daughter and the mother, hinting at the complexity and depth of mother-daughter relationships.
“I was ready to be the child of my own child”: Boland’s role-reversal is striking here, highlighting the vulnerability of the parent and the profound change in the mother-daughter dynamic over time as children grow into independence.

“the pomegranate… / its bittersweet / its old and withered stories”: The association of the pomegranate with age, wrinkles, bitterness and past stories signifies its symbolism for memory, acknowledging that recollection is often tinged with pain and regret.
“Generations will wander among these ruins”: Boland suggests future generations will explore past memories, underscoring the importance of preserving the past.

“everything that was to come was in / the timeless crush when we harvested / the fruit of the pomegranate”: The harvesting of the symbolic fruit, with its inevitable crush and juice stains, marks the passage of time, symbolising inevitable change and maturing.
“The white dove could not fly. / Morning and evening turned in the weather of its wing. / Until hell-mouth colored like a pomegranate seed / closed on her”: Time is depicted here as fluid, with morning and evening merging together, and change is represented by the passage of the Dove, Persephone’s symbol, from life to death.

Like “The Pomegranate”, this poem explores the impact of external forces on personal life, particularly the destruction brought by time and change. The metaphor of the war horse reflects the destructive forces affecting the tranquil domestic scene.

“Child of Our Time” shares the theme of motherhood with “The Pomegranate”. Both poems examine the anxieties and fears that come with raising a child in a complex world.

“Night Feed” also delves into the theme of motherhood, showing the caring, tender side of a mother’s relationship with her child, a theme also found deeply embedded in “The Pomegranate”.