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Analysis of "In the Storm of Roses" by Ingeborg Bachmann

Original poem reprinted online here: "In the Storm of Roses" by Ingeborg Bachmann
Originally read: June 14, 2013
More information about the Poet: Ingeborg Bachmann






The poem is more of a deconstruction of the image into pieces of metaphor.  Each part of the rose creates each part of the storm.

But first, the introduction of the speaker and the other, "Wherever we turn in the storm of roses" -- unison.  The group mentality is here, but note this is a group sharing a metaphorical catastrophe together.

"the night is lit up by thorns," see how these images don't necessarily match.  How does the thorns light up the night?  The shift in visual images could bring a sense of the surreal to the poem; however, my interpretation is that the  night is lit is not a visual image, rather a physical one.  The thorns enliven the night -- the pain swirling.

"and the thunder / of leaves,"  Here's a sonic metaphor.  The sound of lives swirling fast is the equivalent of thunder.  How?  The speaker and the other are "trapped" within the storm -- sound, images, emotions are amplified.

"once so quiet within the bushes," a dirty mind could make something of this.  But this refers to the "leaves" syntactically.  Well let's say the reference is to sex, the line represents more of a precursor, a leeway towards exposition with the "once."  However, the image of hindrance of sound and visual comes into play here as well -- the storm exposes the speaker and the other.

"rumbling at our heels."  Once again this image refers back to the sound of thunder and leaves.  But  the core difference is the collective "heels" -- the movement.  Even if it is to run together -- away or to something.  The sense of togetherness in a metaphorical catastrophe doesn't separate them.

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